A little over two months have passed since the people's President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam breathed his last. Today is his birth anniversary, a day when millions not only in India but the world over are paying homage to one of the greatest sons of the nation. He is recognized as the face of India's missile program and the controversial nuclear tests which cemented the arrival of India as a nuclear power on the world stage.
His achievements are too many to count for at this stage. A few of the more well known ones include his tenure as Project Director for ISRO's Rohini launch aboard the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) and as Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). For those unaware of the IGMDP, the programme includes development of the Prithvi, Akash, Trishul and Nag Missiles. The successful Pokhran-II tests saw his fame soar to new heights. These and many more stars dot his glittering career culminating in his election to the Presidency of the nation.
Elected as the 11th President of the Republic of India, it was here that the next phase of his career began which by far has resulted in the biggest impact on lives all over. A few knew Kalam, the Missile Man, a bit more - Kalam, the nuclear scientist but it was Kalam, the President who influenced more people all around the globe than any of his achievements before. It was his ability to inspire generations with his words and deeds that even today he stands out as an icon for the youth to follow. His is not a story of rags to riches, but that of a poor boy from a small town who changed the very face of the nation and its standing in the world. The fact that his personal belongings only reflect the bare essentials that one needs gives us an example to emulate in our personal lives. No, he wasn't neglected by the state and neither did he have to spend a life in penury. He was a man dedicated to the nation, to public service and to rouse the young generation. There is no denying the fact that he was a 'jewel of the nation' a Bharat Ratna!
A service to the nation, a service that transformed India's defence capabilities radically, a service that inspired 1.3 billion citizens of the country and millions of others, to that service I pay homage. To that man, I can only say that :
Sir,
Your life speaks volumes even after your death. It is your hard work, that I take inspiration from. It is your humility and unparalleled dedication that serves as a reminder for me to give a little more each day in order to achieve my goals and to serve the society. It is the utmost friendliness that you demonstrated even in crowds of hundreds that showed me the value of being nice, of helping people and of smiling. Tomorrow, I look to don my wings of fire as I take off into the world and script my life. Here, I hope to be of service to the nation and the society and when I look up for guidance, I hope to be led by the values that you have left behind.
Thank you for everything Dr. Kalam!
I suggest that everyone who still hasn't read Dr. Kalam's works should give them a try. I list his works below:
There are more, but these are the ones (except the last one, which is on my To-Read list) that I have read and found highly informative and inspiring. Why not add them to your 52 week, 52 books challenge?
Picture credit: A P J Abdul Kalam Wikipedia Page
No comments:
Post a Comment