A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

About

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, popularly known as Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, was an illustrious Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. Born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Kalam studied physics and aerospace engineering, embarking on a career that spanned over four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation and Indian Space Research Organisation. He was intimately involved in India's civilian space programme and military missile development efforts, earning him the title of the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology. He also played a pivotal organizational, technical, and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974. Widely referred to as the People's President, Kalam returned to his civilian life of education, writing, and public service after his single term. He was a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. His inspiring books, such as Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds, continue to motivate millions of students and young professionals across the world. He collapsed and died of an apparent cardiac arrest on 27 July 2015 while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong, aged 83.

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