A Bharat Ratna whose desire to learn took him on a journey from selling newspapers to being featured in them. What motivated him in his school life that that prompted him to become an aerospace engineer? Let's find out.
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam - The Missile Man Of India
APJ Abdul Kalam-Ji loved learning about new things since childhood. His father was a boat builder. The young Abdul Kalam would observe him and study about materials like metal and wood.
He was from a well-to-do family. But a cyclone turned his life upside down. His father's flourishing boat business was ruined because of the cyclone and his family fell into a financial ruin. But when you have a burning desire to learn you can conquer against all odds.
Abdul Kalam-Ji was only 8, but he focused on studies and became a paper boy to help his family. He'd wake up at 4 in the morning and deliver newspapers. For the rest of the day, he'd study hard.
He was very spirited even at such a young age. For him, the school was akin to a treasure trove of knowledge. He bathed himself in knowledge with each passing moment. Once his teacher took the whole class to the beach to teach them about the flight of birds.
There, she showed them the flying birds and explained the science behind their flight. Abdul Kalam-Ji became was so fascinated with her explanation that it left an indelible mark on his psyche. It was time for him to pursue a degree and he wasn't in two minds over his choice. His fascination for the bird flight had grown into a love for science.
He had become so proficient in science that he completed his degree of aerospace engineering on scholarship from Madras Institute of Technology. After graduating from college, Abdul Kalam-Ji joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation or the DRDO in 1960.
There, he developed a hovercraft named Nandi to strengthen India's defence. This was India's first indigenous hovercraft. Abdul Kalam-Ji used to do paper routes before, but now he was making headlines.
The news of his achievements soon reached Dr. Vikram Sarabhai. Mightily impressed with Abdul Kalam's acumen, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai appointed him as a Rocket Engineer on the Indian Committee For Space Research.
In 1963, Kalam-Ji and his team established the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station. The Indian Space Research Organisation or ISRO was established in 1969 it was but obvious that Abdul Kalam Ji would be a part of it.
In the 1970s, ISRO wanted to develop a Satellite Launch Vehicle or SLV to launch satellites. Abdul Kalam-Ji supervised the whole project single-handedly.
On 18th July 1980, The SLV-3 was launched from Andhra Pradesh. It was India's first successful satellite launch.
Then in 1983, the DRDO needed the services of Abdul Kalam-ji again. But this time they wanted to make missiles. After many years of hard work, under his able leadership, India developed named Prithvi, Agni Aakash and Nag ballistic missiles.
These missiles propelled India to become a major military power and Abdul Kalam-Ji earned the moniker the Missile Man of India. The Missile Man was on a new mission.
He wanted to make India a nuclear state. APJ conducted a historic nuclear test in Pokhran along with his team. That test made India one of the select few nuclear superpowers. Abdul Kalam-Ji's contribution to India's scientific development is so vital that only one award wasn't enough for him. So the Indian government awarded him with
- The Padma Bhushan in 1981.
- The Padma Vibhushan in 1990.
- The Bharat Ratna in 1997.
Abdul Kalam-Ji was the President of India from 2002 to 2007 and he would often say, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." His desire to learn changed India for the better.
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