APJ Abdul Kalam Death Anniversary: 14 Incredible Facts About the 'Missile Man of India' That Will Make You Respect and Miss Him Even More

Born Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, it will be Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s 5th death anniversary this year, on July 27, i.e. Monday. Abdul Kalam was an exemplary aerospace scientist and an excellent science administrator, who went on to become India’s 11th President, serving his solitary term from 2002 to 2007. Coming from a humble background, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam happens to be the most revered President of the country till date. His impeccable connect with the youth and the multiple roles that he played in his illustrious career has left a lasting mark on Indian history. Kalam’s tenure as President set new and huge benchmarks on the political landscape. APJ Abdul Kalam's 5th Death Anniversary: Inspirational Quotes by The Missile Man of India That Continue To Motivate Students Aiming to Build a Better Future!

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was a role model to both youth and the politicians. As we observe the 5th death anniversary of the decorated statesman, we at LatestLY bring you 14 incredible facts and trivia of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s life that will make you respect and miss him even more.

1. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had to face a lot of hardships in his early days. Kalam used to sell newspapers in his childhood to earn bread for his family.

2. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam wanted to become a fighter pilot. Unfortunately, he was ranked 9th in the qualifiers and missed out on the opportunity as there were only eight positions open in the Indian Air Force (IAF) at that time.

3. We have all admired Dr APJ Abdul Kalam as a role model, as a teacher, mentor and in different capacities. But do you know his three great teachers? Now you do – Dr Vikram Sarabhai, Prof Satish Dhawan and Dr Brahm Prakash.

4, Not many people know that Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister from 1992 to December 1999. He also served as the Secretary of the DRDO during the same time.

5. It is a little-known fact that he created an economical stent, i.e. coronary stent, in partnership with renowned cardiologist Soma Raju in 1998, and named it ‘Kalam-Raju’ stent. In 2012, the duo came together to design a low-cost tablet computer to be used in rural areas, naming it ‘Kalam-Raju’ tablet.

6. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is the only Indian President to be both a scientist and a bachelor to occupy the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

7. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is also the 3rd person to have been honoured with the prestigious Bharat Ratna award before serving as the President. The other two people were Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1954) and Dr Zakir Hussain (1963).

8. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was fondly called as the ‘People’s President’. Given how immense his contributions in the field of missiles and aerospace sector, Kalam is widely regarded as the ‘Missile Man of India’.

9. It is a little-known fact that Dr APJ Abdul Kalam started a programme for youth, i.e. ‘What Can I Give Movement’, with a motive to defeat corruption.

10. Not many people know that Dr APJ Abdul Kalam had been honoured with seven honorary doctorates from over 40 universities.

11. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was accorded with the Padma Bhushan in 1980, and Padma Vibushan in 1990, for his impeccable contribution in the different roles, be it at DRDO, ISRO, or as the Chief Scientific Advisor the PM.

12. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam left a lasting legacy. A national missile test site in Odisha, i.e. Wheeler Island, was renamed as Abdul Kalam Island in 2015, in his honour. In the same year, the prominent Aurangzeb Road in New Delhi was renamed as the APJ Abdul Kalam Road by the government.

13. Not just that, in 2018, a team of scientist who had discovered a new plant species, i.e. Drypetes Kalamii, named it after him as a mark of respect.

14. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam authored a dozen books in his lifetime. Some of the most notable are: ‘India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium’, ‘Wings of Fire’, ‘Mission India’, ‘Target 3 Billion’, etc.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam breathed his last while doing what he did best – igniting young minds by delivering a lecture at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong on July 27, 2015. His last words were, “Funny guy! Are you doing well?” to his aide Srijan Pal Singh.

No words can be a fitting tribute to the man of the stature like Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. As the nation observes his 5th death anniversary, we at LatestLY, wish his soul rests in peace!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 27, 2020 09:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).