A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

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Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and a respected leader who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007.

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Born 15 October 1931
Birthplace Rameswaram, Madras Presidency, British India Tamil Nadu, India)
Died 27 July 2015 (aged 83)
Place of death Shillong, Meghalaya, India
Resting place Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Memorial, Rameswaram
Nationality Indian
Occupation Aerospace Scientist, Author, Professor, 11th President of India
Years active 1958–2015
Known for Pokhran-II nuclear tests, Missile Development, People's President
Notable works Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds, India 2020, Turning Points
Awards Bharat Ratna (1997), Padma Vibhushan (1990), Padma Bhushan (1981), Hoover Medal, King Charles II Medal
Spouse(s) None
Children None
Parents Jainulabdeen (father), Ashiamma (mother)
Religion Islam
Website Official Website

He was born in a small Muslim family in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. Kalam studied physics and later aerospace engineering. For more than forty years, he worked as a scientist and administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He played an important role in India’s space programme and missile development projects. Because of his work on ballistic missiles and launch vehicles, he was called the "Missile Man of India." He also had a major role in the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests, which strengthened India’s defence.

In 2002, Kalam was elected President of India with support from both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress. People across the country fondly called him the "People’s President." After his presidency, he spent his time teaching, writing, and inspiring young people. He received many awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour.

On 27 July 2015, while giving a lecture at IIM Shillong, Kalam collapsed and passed away due to cardiac arrest at the age of 83. His funeral in Rameswaram was attended by thousands, and he was buried with full state honours. In 2017, a memorial was opened in his hometown to honour his life and legacy.[1]

Early Life and Education

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 into a Tamil Muslim family in the holy town of Rameswaram on Pamban Island, then part of the Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu). His father, Jainulabdeen Marakayar, was a boat owner and also served as the imam of a local mosque, while his mother, Ashiamma, was a homemaker. His father’s boat was mainly used to take Hindu pilgrims between Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi.

Kalam was the youngest of five children—four brothers and one sister. His ancestors had once been wealthy Marakayar traders and landowners, belonging to a Muslim community found along coastal Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, who traced their roots to Arab traders. The family had earlier run a business of transporting goods and passengers between mainland India, Pamban Island, and Sri Lanka. But after the Pamban Bridge was built in 1914, their business collapsed. By the 1920s, the family had lost most of its wealth and property, and by the time Kalam was born, they lived in poverty. As a boy, Kalam delivered newspapers to help support the family.

In school, Kalam was not a top student but worked very hard and showed a great interest in learning, especially Mathematics. He studied at Schwartz Higher Secondary School in Ramanathapuram and later graduated in Physics from St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli, in 1954.

In 1955, Kalam moved to Madras (now Chennai) to study aerospace engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology. During a class project, when his progress was slow, the Dean warned him that his scholarship would be cancelled if he didn’t finish within three days. Kalam worked hard and completed it on time, impressing the Dean, who later admitted that the challenge was meant to test his determination.

Kalam had also dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot, but he narrowly missed the chance, as he ranked ninth in the selection process while only eight positions were available in the Indian Air Force.[2][3]

Scientific Career

After graduating from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1960, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as part of the Aeronautical Development Establishment. In his early work, he designed a small hovercraft, though he was not fully satisfied with his role at DRDO. Later, he joined the Indian National Committee for Space Research under the leadership of the great scientist Vikram Sarabhai. He was recruited into the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) by H. G. S. Murthy, the first director of the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station.

In 1969, Kalam moved to ISRO, where he became the project director of India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). This SLV successfully launched the Rohini satellite into orbit in July 1980. Earlier, in 1965, while still at DRDO, he had already started working on a small expandable rocket project. By 1969, the Government of India approved the expansion of the programme, allowing him to bring in more engineers. During the 1960s, Kalam also visited several NASA centres in the USA, including Langley Research Center, Goddard Space Flight Center, and Wallops Flight Facility, to learn about space technology. By the late 1970s, he was actively involved in the development of India’s SLV-3 and later the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), both of which were successful.

In May 1974, Kalam was invited by Raja Ramanna to witness India’s first nuclear test, “Smiling Buddha,” at Pokhran, even though he was not officially part of the project. During the 1970s, he led two important projects—Project Devil and Project Valiant—focused on building ballistic missiles using the technology of the SLV. Although the Union Cabinet was not in favor of funding them, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi used her special powers to secretly allocate funds for the projects. Kalam also convinced the cabinet to keep the real purpose of these projects hidden. His leadership and research brought him national recognition in the 1980s, leading to the launch of a full-fledged missile development programme under his guidance.

Working closely with metallurgist V. S. Arunachalam and with the support of Defence Minister R. Venkataraman, Kalam suggested developing a whole range of missiles at the same time instead of one by one. This idea led to the creation of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), for which the cabinet approved a budget of ₹3.88 billion (about ₹66 billion in 2023). Kalam was appointed as the chief executive of this programme, which developed missiles like Agni (intermediate-range ballistic missile) and Prithvi (tactical surface-to-surface missile). For these achievements, he became popularly known as the “Missile Man of India.”

From July 1992 to December 1999, Kalam served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and as the Secretary of DRDO. He played an important organisational, political, and technical role in the Pokhran-II nuclear tests of May 1998. Along with Rajagopala Chidambaram, he was the chief coordinator of the project. These tests made Kalam a household name as India’s leading nuclear scientist, though some controversies followed when scientist K. Santhanam claimed that the thermonuclear device had failed. Kalam and Chidambaram strongly rejected this claim.

Apart from missiles and nuclear research, Kalam also contributed to healthcare technology. In 1998, he worked with cardiologist B. Somaraju to design a low-cost coronary stent called the Kalam-Raju Stent. Later, in 2012, the duo created the Kalam-Raju Tablet, a low-cost device meant for rural healthcare workers.

Presidency (2002–2007)

On 10 June 2002, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) announced that it wanted to nominate A. P. J. Abdul Kalam for the post of President of India. His candidature was also supported by opposition parties like the Samajwadi Party and the Nationalist Congress Party. With so much support for Kalam, the then-President K. R. Narayanan chose not to run for a second term.

Kalam, while reacting to his nomination, said he was deeply touched and wondered what message he could give to the people of the country at such an important time.

On 18 June 2002, Kalam filed his nomination papers in Parliament, accompanied by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and senior cabinet leaders. His opponent was Lakshmi Sahgal, and voting took place on 15 July in Parliament and the state assemblies. As expected, Kalam won by a huge margin—he received 922,884 electoral votes, while Sahgal got 107,366. He was sworn in as the 11th President of India on 25 July 2002. He became the first scientist and the first bachelor to hold the highest office in India.

During his term, Kalam became popularly known as the “People’s President.” He later said that the toughest decision of his presidency was signing the Office of Profit Bill. In September 2003, during an interactive session in Chandigarh, he also spoke about the importance of a Uniform Civil Code for India. In 2005, he approved the imposition of President’s Rule in Bihar.

When it came to mercy petitions (requests to reduce death penalties), Kalam did not take action on 20 out of 21 cases, including that of Afzal Guru, who was convicted for the 2001 Parliament attack. He acted only on one plea—that of Dhananjoy Chatterjee, whose petition he rejected, leading to Chatterjee’s execution.

Towards the end of his term in 2007, Kalam said he was open to a second term, but only if he was sure of winning. The United National Progressive Alliance supported his name, but he did not receive backing from the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Two days later, Kalam announced that he would not contest again, as he did not want to drag the Rashtrapati Bhavan into political matters.

In 2012, when the term of President Pratibha Patil was about to end, reports suggested that Kalam might run again. Many people on social media showed strong support for him, and some parties like the BJP and the Trinamool Congress were also in favour. But the Congress Party opposed his nomination. On 18 June 2012, Kalam finally declined, saying:

“Many citizens want me to contest again, and I am touched by their love and trust. But I have decided not to. I thank everyone for their support and affection.”

Post-Presidency

After finishing his term as President, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam went back to teaching. He became a visiting professor at several institutions, including IIM Shillong, his alma mater Anna University in Chennai, and the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru. In 2007, he was appointed the first chancellor of the newly set up Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram. He also gave lectures to management students across India and even visited China twice, where he conducted sessions at Peking University.

In 2011, Kalam supported the setting up of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant in Tamil Nadu, assuring people that the plant was safe. However, many locals were not convinced and some opposed his visit.

In May 2012, Kalam started a youth movement called “What Can I Give”, with the main goal of inspiring young Indians to fight corruption.

Death

On 27 July 2015, Kalam went to IIM Shillong to give a lecture on “Creating a Livable Planet Earth.” While climbing the stairs, he felt a bit uneasy but, after resting for a while, he entered the auditorium. Around 6:35 p.m., just five minutes after starting his lecture, he suddenly collapsed. He was quickly taken to Bethany Hospital, but by the time he arrived, he had no pulse or signs of life. Doctors tried to revive him in the intensive care unit, but he was declared dead at 7:45 p.m. due to a sudden cardiac arrest.

Personal life

Kalam was the youngest among five siblings. His eldest was a sister, Asim Zohra (d. 1997), followed by three elder brothers: Mohammed Lebbai (1916–2021), Mustafa Kalam (d. 1999), and Kasim Mohammed (d. 1995). He was very close to his brothers and sister, and even though he never married, he always supported them and their families by sending small amounts of money.

Kalam was known for his honesty and simple way of living. He didn’t drink alcohol, was a vegetarian, and loved writing Tamil poetry, playing the veena, and listening to Carnatic devotional music. He never owned a TV. His daily routine was waking up around 6:30–7 a.m. and working until late at night, often sleeping at 2 a.m. His personal belongings were very few — just some books, clothes, a veena, a CD player, and a laptop. After his death, since he left no will, these went to his eldest brother.

After stepping down as Scientific Adviser in 1999, Kalam made it his mission to interact with 100,000 students within two years. He often said he felt happiest with young people, especially high school students. His dream was to inspire every student to “ignite their inner fire” and work for a developed India. Apart from this, he also kept an interest in new areas of science and technology, like biomedical implants. He was a strong supporter of open-source software, believing it could help spread the benefits of technology to more people.

Writings

In his book India 2020, Kalam strongly supported a plan to make India a developed nation and a “knowledge superpower” by 2020. He believed that India’s nuclear weapons programme was important to show the world that India could become a future superpower.

Kalam identified five key areas where India had strength and should work in an integrated way:

  • Agriculture and food processing
  • Education and healthcare
  • Information and communication technology
  • Infrastructure – good roads, reliable electricity, and transport across the country
  • Self-reliance in critical technologies

He said that if these areas were improved together, they would bring food security, economic growth, and national security.

Later, in his book Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji, Kalam described an important moment in his life. When he asked Pramukh Swami how India could achieve this vision, Swami told him to add a sixth area: faith in God and spirituality. He believed this was needed to overcome crime and corruption in society.

Bibliography

Year Title Co-author(s) Publisher / Notes
1988 Developments in Fluid Mechanics and Space Technology Roddam Narasimha Indian Academy of Sciences
1998 India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium Y. S. Rajan Penguin Random House
1999 Wings of Fire Arun Tiwari Universities Press
2002 Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India Penguin Books
2004 Envisioning an Empowered Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation A. Sivathanu Pillai McGraw-Hill
2004 The Luminous Sparks: A Biography in Verse and Colours Punya Publishing
2005 Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life Arun Tiwari Ocean Books
2005 Mission India: A Vision for Indian Youth Manav Gupta Penguin Books
2007 Inspiring Thoughts (Quotation Series) Rajpal & Sons
2010 You Are Born To Blossom: Take My Journey Beyond Arun Tiwari Ocean Books
2011 The Scientific India: A Twenty First Century Guide to the World around Us Y. S. Rajan Penguin Books
2011 Failure to Success: Legendary Lives Arun Tiwari Orient Blackswan
2011 Target 3 Billion: Innovative Solutions towards Sustainable Development Srijan Pal Singh Penguin Books
2012 You Are Unique: Scale New Heights by Thoughts and Actions Poonam Kohli Punya Publishing
2012 Turning Points: A Journey through Challenges Harper Collins
2013 Indomitable Spirit Rajpal & Sons
2013 Spirit of India Rajpal & Sons
2014 My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions Rupa Publications
2014 We Can Do It: Thoughts for Change A. Sivathanu Pillai Shree Book Centre
2014 Governance for Growth in India Rupa Publications
2014 A Manifesto for Change: A Sequel to India 2020 V. Ponraj Harper Collins
2014 Forge Your Future: Candid, Forthright, Inspiring Rajpal & Sons
2014 Beyond 2020: A Vision for Tomorrow's India Viking Publishing
2015 The Guiding Light: A Selection of Quotations from My Favourite Books Rupa Publications
2015 Reignited: Scientific Pathways to a Brighter Future Srijan Pal Singh Penguin Books
2015 The Family and the Nation Acharya Mahapragya Harper Collins
2015 Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji Arun Tiwari Harper Collins
2015 Advantage India: From Challenge to Opportunity Srijan Pal Singh Harper Collins

Achievements and Recognition

Kalam received many honorary doctorates from different universities. The Government of India gave him the Padma Bhushan in 1981 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1990. In 1997, he was honoured with India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, for his work in science and defence technology. The same year, he also got the Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration. Later, he received the Savarkar Award in 1998 and the Ramanujan Award in 2000. In 2008, he was given the Hoover Medal. In 2013, the National Space Society awarded him the Von Braun Award for his leadership in space projects.

Legacy

Kalam’s birthday, 15 October, is celebrated as World Students’ Day in India. In 2012, he was ranked second in the Greatest Indian poll by Outlook. In 2014, India and the US started the Fulbright-Kalam Climate Fellowship, which allowed Indian researchers to work in US institutions for 6–12 months. In 2015, the Tamil Nadu government declared his birthday as Youth Renaissance Day and created the Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Award, which includes a gold medal, certificate, and ₹500,000, given every year on Independence Day. That same year, CBSE introduced writing topics on Kalam, and India Post released special postage stamps on his 84th birthday.

Kalam has also been honoured scientifically. In 2017, NASA named a new bacterium found on the ISS as Solibacillus kalamii. In 2018, Indian scientists named a new plant Drypetes kalamii after him. In 2022, a newly discovered footballfish was named Himantolophus kalami, and in 2023, a new tardigrade was named Batillipes kalami.

Many places have also been named after him. In 2015, Aurangzeb Road in Delhi was renamed Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road, and Wheeler Island in Odisha was renamed Abdul Kalam Island. That year, a Himalayan peak near Bara Shigri Glacier was named Mount Kalam. The Missile Complex in Hyderabad, the Science City in Patna, and the Science Centre and Planetarium in Puducherry also carry his name. Several universities and educational institutions have been renamed in his honour as well.

In Popular culture

Film and Media

Kalam’s life has inspired several films and documentaries:

  • A Little Dream (2008), a documentary directed by P. Dhanapal
  • I Am Kalam (2011), a Hindi film about a poor Rajasthani boy who takes Kalam as his role model
  • People’s President (2016), a documentary made by the Government of India
  • My Hero Kalam (2018), a Kannada biographical film about Kalam’s life up to the Pokhran tests
  • Mega Icons (2018–2020), a National Geographic documentary series that featured Kalam in its third episode
  • Soorarai Pottru (2020), a Tamil film in which Kalam was portrayed by Sheik Maideen
  • Rocket Boys (SonyLIV series), where Arjun Radhakrishnan played Kalam
  • Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022), a Tamil film where Kalam was portrayed by Amaan

See Also

• ISRO

• DRDO

Bharat Ratna

• Pokhran-II

President of India

References

  1. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam . In Britannica.com  . Retrieved 6 August 2025
  2. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam - Part 1 (Sanchika)  . In Sanchika (CIIL)  . Retrieved 6 August 2025
  3. Ex‑president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam dies at 83, pushed for a nuclear India  . In Los Angeles Times  . Retrieved 6 August 2025