Death Anniversary of Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam: Story of a Legend

On this very day in 2015, The Legend A. P. J. Abdul Kalam left us in mourn. Today, on July 27, India is paying tribute to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s death anniversary. He died in the year 2015 from cardiovascular failure while giving a talk at IIM Shillong. Thousands including Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to the funeral held in his hometown of Rameshwaram. Dr. Kalam’s death left the country in shock and agony.

 Dr Kalam was the 11^th president of India. He was awarded the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna. On a single note, he was an aerospace scientist, a writer, and a People’s President indeed a great leader.

On 15 October 1931 Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born to a Muslim family of Rameswaram village in Tamil Nadu. He had struggled for primary education. But with his strong desire and hard work he graduated in Physics from the University of Madras. Later he made his way to study aerospace engineering. Then he joined DRDO. Then he was transferred to ISRO. India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle SLV-III which successfully deployed the Rohini satellite in near earth orbit in July 1980 under his direction. Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam played an intensive political and technological role in The Pokhran-II nuclear tests. He served the country as president from 25 July 2002, to 25 July 2007.

Having all these privileges, after retirement from their President post he used to visit the IIMs and other top technology institute to teach his fellow students. Dr. Kalam received 7 honorary doctorates from 40 universities. He was a Bharat Ratna including Padma Bhusan and Padma Vibhusan and the list goes on.

He had contributed many informative writings and books to the nation. His autobiography is Wings of Fire: An Autobiography.

On 27 July 2015 he traveled to Indian Institute of Management Shillong to give lecture on “Creating a Livable Planet Earth”. There he collapsed to a sudden cardiac arrest. After his death the nation paid tribute to Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam in many ways. Wheeler Island, a national missile test site in Odisha, was renamed Abdul Kalam Island in September 2015. The Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial was built in memory of Kalam by the DRDO inaugurated by PM Modi. A prominent road in New Delhi was renamed from Aurangzeb Road to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road in August 2015.