The People’s President Dr. Abdul Kalaam in Sri Lanka

It is astonishing indeed how Asia strives to challenge the West in nuclear and aeronautical sciences. Many would call it a dream – a dream which will never come true. Nevertheless, our convivial neighbour India is not very far from this dream. It has been almost 25 years since India launched its inaugural missile proving Asia’s advancement of science in the 20th Century.

The master mind behind this disciplined revolution of India was none other than the exuberant scientist Dr. Abdul Kalam. Dr. Kalam is a world renowned aerospace engineer and the 11th President of Independent India. He is often referred to as the “People’s President” and is admired for his modest and humble nature, not only by Indians but people around the world. He is a man with a vision who took over the responsibility of changing the destiny of India.

This enthusiastic scientist cum politician is visiting Sri Lanka this January. He is scheduled to deliver a speech today on ‘Ignited Minds of Youth is a Great Resource for Nation’ at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies. This is aimed at inspiring the young generation of Sri Lanka. Even during his extremely short period of stay he has planned to visit Jaffna and deliver a speech at Jaffna University while holding discussions with students.

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, popularly known as Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, was born on 15 October 1931 in the island town Rameswaram in Madras. His father was Jainulabdeen, a boat owner and mother Ashiamma.

He gives a vivid picturesque description of his treasured childhood in his autobiography ‘Wings of Fire,’ where he describes his father as a man with great innate wisdom with true generosity of spirit. Furthermore, Dr. Kalam has acknowledged that his scientific accomplishments and his views were much influenced by his parents.

Dr. Kalam obtained his primary education from a primary school in Ramaeswaran, after which he attended the Schwartz High School at Ramanathpuram. His undergraduate life began when he entered the Saint Joseph’s College in Tiruchchirapalli to study physics which he later regretted after discovering aerospace engineering lessons in Madras.

The pivotal moment in his education was when he discovered the opportunity to learn aerospace engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology and graduating as the aerospace scientist in 1960.

Dr. Kalam has made significant contribution in developing India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle which successfully injected the Rohini satellite into the skies in the early 1980s. Thus India became an exclusive member of Space Club.

The credit in developing indigenous Guided Missiles also goes to Dr. Kalam who was the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) in the Defence Research and Development Organization. Moreover, he was the mastermind in operationalising AGNI and PRITHVI Missiles, the first ever missiles of India. Subsequently he is known as the Missile Man of India for ballistic missile and space rocket technology.

He became world renowned and criticised for Pokhran II, the nuclear tests in 1998 where he had played a critical role as a politician and a scientist. He has also been the Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development.

This scientist cum patriot has inspired many youth in India through his enticing writing. ‘Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India’ is his latest book which is highly motivating. As most of Dr. Kalam’s books are dedicated to an incident, a simple but deep meaning lies behind the concept of this book.

‘Ignited Minds’ was dedicated to a high school child named Snehal Thakkar whom Dr.Kalam has met at a school. Upon the questioning by the former President as to “who is your greatest enemy?” this boy has impressed the audience by replying “poverty is our enemy”.

Dr. Kalam’s other famous writing is ‘India 2020 – A Vision for the Millennium,’ which addresses the strength and weakness of India as a nation and making India one of the world’s first four economic powers by 2020.

Sri Lanka has got a golden opportunity to felicitate this great scientist who has wowed to fully dedicate himself to transforming India into a developed nation. This is a golden opportunity for Sri Lankans to meet the master mind to inspire themselves to build our nation.