100. Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

11th President of India
In office 25 July 2002 – 24 July 2007

Born	15 October 1931 (1931-10-15) Rameshwaram, Madras Presidency, British Raj

Profession	Aerospace Engineer Administrator

Bharat Ratna Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (Tamil: அவுல் பகீர் ஜைனுலாப்தீன் அப்துல் கலாம்) usually referred to as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, was the 11th President of India who served from 2002 to 2007.During his term as President, he was popularly known as the People's President.
































Before his term as India's president, he worked as an aeronautical engineer with DRDO and ISRO. He is popularly known as the Missile Man of India for his work on development of ballistic missile and space rocket technology. Kalam played a pivotal organizational, technical and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.
He is currently the chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, a professor at Anna University (Chennai), a visiting professor at Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, JSS University in Mysore, and an adjunct/visiting faculty at many other academic and research institutions across India.

 Early life and education

Abdul Kalam graduated in physics from St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli. After which he went to graduate with a diploma in Aeronautical Engineering in the mid-1950s from the Madras Institute of Technology. As the Project Director, he was heavily involved in the development of India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III).

 

President-elect Pratibha Patil, accompanied by outgoing President A P J Abdul Kalam (right) and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, arrives at the Central Hall of Parliament in New Delhi to take oath as President on July 25, 2007

Career

After graduation from Madras Institute of Technology he was the Project Director, he was heavily involved in the development of India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III). As Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (I.G.M.D.P), he played a major part in developing many missiles in India including Agni and Prithvi although the entire project has been criticised for being overrun and mismanaged. He was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation from July 1992 to December 1999. Pokhran-II nuclear tests were conducted during this period and have been associated with Kalam although he was not directly involved with the nuclear program at the time. yu779

 Issues held

Future India: 2020

In his book India 2020, Abdul Kalam strongly advocates an action plan to develop India into a knowledge superpower and a developed nation by the year 2020. He regards his work on India's nuclear weapons program as a way to assert India's place as a future superpower.
It has been reported that there is a considerable demand in South Korea for translated versions of books authored by him.
Kalam continues to take an active interest in other developments in the field of science and technology. He has proposed a research program for developing bio-implants. He is a supporter of Open Source over proprietary solutions and believes that the use of free software on a large scale will bring the benefits of information technology to more people.

Awards and honours

Year of Award or Honor	Name of Award or Honor	Awarding Organization
2009	Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa)	Anna University of Technology.
2009	Hoover Medal	ASME Foundation, USA.
2009	International von Kármán Wings Award	California Institute of Technology, USA.
1997	Bharat Ratna	President of India.
1990	Padma Vibhushan	President of India.
1981	Padma Bhushan	President of India.

 

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko (R) and India's President Abdul Kalam Inspect the Guard of Honour

President of India, APJ Abdul Kalam with US President, George W. Bush during the ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi

President A P J Abdul Kalam shaking hands with US President George W. Bush as Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur and first US lady Laura Bush look on, at the ceremonial reception at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi

German President Johannes Rau and his wife Christina Rau, being received by Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpeyee and President of India, A P J Abdul Kalam, at Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi

President of Iran, Seyed Mohammad Khatami being greeted by President A P J Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi

President APJ Abdul Kalam with Saudi Arabian King Abdullah at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi

President APJ Abdul Kalam welcomes Pakistan High Commissioner to India, Aziz Ahmed Khan at the President's Estate for the reception hosted by the President on the occasion of the forthcoming 55th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi

President of India, A P J Abdul Kalam (R) along with Russian President Vladimir Putin at Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi

Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, former President of India with Azim Premji, Chairman of Wipro, at the inauguration of a next generation product compliance facility 'Tarang' , at Wipro Sarjapur campus in Bangalore

The Dalai Lama, right, receives former Indian president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, second right, at the Kangra airport near Dharmsal

President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam,Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekawat, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Parliamentary Affairs Minister P.R. Dasmunsi arriving to attend the first day of the Budget Session at Parliament House

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman G Madhavan Nair presents books to former President of India, A P J Abdul Kalam (L) after a session with the scientists at the 58th International Aeronautical Congress 2007, in Hyderabad on September 27, 2007. Also seen, local organising committee chairman, B N Suresh (R).

President A P J Abdul Kalam (R) and Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh in a conversation at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi

Former President APJ Abdul Kalam (left) with visiting Korean minister Ahn Byung Man during the inauguration of Indo-Korean Science and Technology Centre, at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore

Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee (R) and President A P J Abdul Kalam with Namibian President Sam Nujoma (L) at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi

Missile Man's Farewell Function: President A P J Abdul Kalam arriving to attend the farewell function in his honour at Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on July 22, 2007.

Books and documentaries

Kalam's writings

• Wings of Fire: An Autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam by A.P.J Abdul Kalam, Arun Tiwari; by K. Bhushan, G. Katyal; A.P.j. Pub. Corp, 2002.
• Scientist to President by Abdul A.P.J. Kalam; Gyan Publishing House, 2003.
• Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power Within India by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Penguin Books, 2003.
• India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Y.S. Rajan; Penguin Books India, 2003.
• India-my-dream by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Excel Books, 2004.
• Envisioning an Empowered Nation: Technology for Societal Transformation by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; TATA McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd, 2004.
• Guiding Souls: Dialogues on the Purpose of Life by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Arun K Tiwari; Ocean Books, 2005.
• Children Ask Kalam by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam; Pearson Education, ISBN 81-7758-245-3
• Indomitable Spirit by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, 2006
• The Scientific Indian: A Twenty-first Century Guide to the World around Us by APJ Abdul Kalam and YS Rajan
• My Journey by APJ Abdul Kalam , Published By: V Suryanarayana Murthy

Biographies

• Eternal Quest: Life and Times of Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam by S. Chandra; Pentagon Publishers, 2002.
• President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam by R. K. Pruthi; Anmol Publications, 2002.
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam: The Visionary of India by K. Bhushan, G. Katyal; A.P.H. Pub. Corp, 2002.
• A Little Dream (documentary film) by P. Dhanapal; Minveli Media Works Private Limited, 2008.
• The Kalam Effect: My Years with the President by P.M. Nair; Harper Collins, 2008.
• My Days With Mahatma Abdul Kalam by Fr.A.K. George; ISBN No:978-8190452953; Publisher: Novel Corporation, 2009.

Source : Wikipedia