APJ Abdul Kalam: The People’s President and Inspiration for World Students’ Day

APJ Abdul Kalam was one of the influencing personalities in India. He raised the dignity of Indians in many ways, and he was a scientist as well as a great leader who once held the position of the President of India. So, in this blog, we will have a look at his life story including his family background, childhood, education, success and failures, how he became President and much more. We will know what he is interested in, what he likes in the matter of music and some news concerning the life of the past few years.

You will know why the United Nations resolved to observe October 15 as World Students’ Day on the birthday of Abdul Kalam.

Early Life and Family

He was born in a small town in Tamil Nadu, India, his full name is Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam. Abdul Kalam comes from the most poverty-stricken background. His father, Jainulabdeen was a boat owner and mother, Ashiamma a home maker. Lesser money, but richness in love and values-they had in abundance

Abdul Kalam has siblings, so all of them were brought up with this kind of loving gesture in a joint family. Abdul Kalam comes from an extremely poor family where his family was short of money, so this made young Abdul Kalam learn to be hardworking very early in life. He went with his father to sell the newspapers to sustain his family.

He learns that “one should respect every job. We should never look down upon any kind of job, small or big.“

Childhood of Bharat Ratna APJ Abdul Kalam

Abdul Kalam was always curious about knowing everything about this world. He likes reading if he could not understand and ask doubts regarding that topic. Being an excellent student with his share of battling problems, he could manage despite kids bullying him for being different at times.

Different teachers motivated him, and especially Sivarakrishnan, to pursue his dreams. He was one of the bookworms who could spend many hours in the library and thus learn much in the future.

Education

Abdul Kalam passed through school very well. After primary schooling, he went to do Physics at St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli. After some years of  study, he became a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, specializing in aerospace engineering. For Abdul Kalam, education was never easy but never did this damped his spirit. He always had night and day concentration which led him to success.

Abdul Kalam topped his education with flying colors and emerged as an erudite engineer. He had managed to create a very great stage, in terms of education for great career prospects into the science and technology fields.

Career as a Scientist

Abdul Kalam graduated and entered the scientific world. He soon shifted from there to Defence Research and Development Organisation and then to Indian Space Research Organisation. He worked on things regarding the launching of India’s first satellite launch vehicle. Even some Indians did not dream of it.

He is also popularly known as the “Missile Man of India” because he invented missiles for India. His other notable work includes very significant projects, for example, developing Agni and Prithvi missiles. As a result of this, India became a technological power nation.

Success and Failures

Failures were many, but so were the success stories in the career of Abdul Kalam. One notable failure was his satellite launch in which something did not go wrong as planned. He believed that failures are the stepping stones to successes. Often he would say, “You must learn how to be a good loser.” He would thus bounce back and fight to be great.

His confidence and hard work brought Kalam to greater success and he became the most reputed scientist of India. Gradually, with his increasing confidence in science and technology and through his contribution to science and technology, he became a national hero.

Becoming the first President of India

Abdul Kalam was elected to the post of the President of India in the year 2002. He happened to be the 11th president and was in office till 2007. Abdul Kalam is popularly known as the “People’s President” since he reached out to the youth and inspired them to dream.

Abdul Kalam as a president will be able to channel all his energies toward young minds, making them dream of what they wanted. He toured the whole of this country visiting every school and college, and shared his thoughts with the students regarding those ideas. He never forgot that the young are the future of this nation.

APJ Abdul Kalam-Death

Alas, the country’s 14th President, Abdul Kalam, met his final end on July 27, 2015. He was giving a speech at the Indian Institute of Management in Shillong when he silently passed away. Shocked, the nation went into an uproar because most citizens wept for the loss of this leader and man of vision. Most will remember him for his humility, love of education, and desire to assist the younger generation.

International Recognition

For his work for science and for humanity, he received many awards and prizes. In 1997, he was conferred Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India. Many other prizes and honorary doctorates were showered upon him from various universities of the world.

He became a face to every soul across the globe. People from different countries, sitting on this earth, acknowledged his work and followed him as a symbol.

Hobbies and Interest

Besides all this, he was an excellent scientist and leader with different hobbies and interests. Abdul Kalam loved to write much and wrote many books; one of them is a biography entitled “Wings of Fire.” There, he disclosed several experiences from his life and motivated several young minds to pursue their dreams. 

Abdul Kalam was very music-loving, too. He always loved playing the veena, which is an old traditional Indian instrument for the classical music world. It is a place that brings peace and happiness in him, and he claims often that while playing the veena, he would come up with better thoughts. He says that for him, music is a language that every human being understands

World Students’ Day United Nations has been celebrating the birthday of Abdul Kalam for the last few years in commemoration of World Students’ Day every year on 15th October. This day is highly special because students throughout other parts of the world are determined and have a passion for education.

The United Nations is doing great work to uplift young minds and believes that good deeds by Abdul Kalam enhance future endeavours based on education. Numerous events have been organized by schools and colleges today in collaboration with keeping the children active in learning and dreaming like Abdul Kalam. 

Conclusion

 APJ Abdul Kalam was truly the complete embodiment of persistence, hard work, and inspiration. This man belonging to one of the poorest backgrounds entered this country and went on to become the President of India, which depicts possibilities for him who does not lose hope and does not give up, and such stories keep going in inspiring today’s youths.

He feels that the young age group is very powerful and education, music, and science are some of his passions in life and hence, at this point, it was the perfect time to be an influence to them. Now, on World Students’ Day, 15th October, not forget to take a stride after the footsteps of Abdul Kalam by dreaming high and trying for the same.

Lastly, in a few words, it would be said: Abdul Kalam is not only a name; he becomes an inspiration to hold on to hope for every student. Let’s never forget this spirit by learning and dreaming and working to make our future bright!

Written by Ravi Teja