A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, in full Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, (born October 15, 1931, Rameswaram, India—died July 27, 2015, Shillong), Indian scientist and politician who played a leading role in the development of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs. He was president of India from 2002 to 2007.
What is A.P.J. Abdul Kalam known for?
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam served as president of the Republic of India from 2002 to 2007. As president, Kalam promoted the advancement of the national nuclear weapons program. Kalam also devised a 20-year action plan to achieve economic growth through technological development in India.
What organizations was A.P.J. Abdul Kalam associated with?
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam attended the Madras Institute of Technology, where he received a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1960. After graduation he joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)—an Indian military research institute—and later the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Kalam’s associations were not limited to research organizations: he was also associated with political groups, such as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
hen and how did A.P.J. Abdul Kalam enter politics?
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam created the Technology Vision 2020 project in 1998. The project sought to develop India’s economy through technology, particularly as applied to agriculture, and increase the availability of health care and education. In recognition of Kalam’s services to the country and broad popularity, the National Democratic Alliance nominated him for president in 2002.
How many awards did A.P.J. Abdul Kalam win?
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam won many awards, both from the Indian government and from the international community. His most notable awards were the Padma Vibhushan, won in 1990, and the Bharat Ratna, won in 1997, for his contributions to science and engineering and service to the government.
Kalam earned a degree in aeronautical engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology and in 1958 joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). He soon moved to the Indian Space Research Organisation, where he was project director of the SLV-III, India’s first indigenously designed and produced satellite launch vehicle. Rejoining DRDO in 1982, Kalam planned the program that produced a number of successful missiles, which helped earned him the nickname “Missile Man.”
From 1992 to 1997 Kalam was scientific adviser to the defense minister, and he later served as principal scientific adviser (1999–2001) to the government with the rank of cabinet minister. His prominent role in the country’s 1998 nuclear weapons tests established Kalam as a national hero, although the tests caused great concern in the international community. In 1998 Kalam put forward a countrywide plan called Technology Vision 2020, which he described as a road map for transforming India from a less-developed to a developed society in 20 years. The plan called for, among other measures, increasing agricultural productivity, emphasizing technology as a vehicle for economic growth, and widening access to health care and education.
In 2002 India’s ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) put forward Kalam to succeed outgoing President Kocheril Raman Narayanan. Kalam was nominated by the Hindu nationalist (Hindutva) NDA even though he was Muslim, and his stature and popular appeal were such that even the main opposition party, the Indian National Congress, also proposed his candidacy. Kalam easily won the election and was sworn in as India’s 11th president, a largely ceremonial post, in July 2002. He remained committed to using science and technology to transform India into a developed country. In 2007 Kalam left office and was succeeded by Pratibha Patil, the country’s first woman president.
Kalam wrote several books, including an autobiography, Wings of Fire (1999). Among his numerous awards were two of the country’s highest honours, the Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the Bharat Ratna (1997).
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Source:https://www.britannica.com/biography/A-P-J-Abdul-Kalam
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