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Professor APJ Abdul Kalam - A teacher at heart.           Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam who became the 11th President of India on 25th July 2002  leave the Rashtrapati Bhawan on July 25, 2007. APJ Abdul Kalam moved into the guest house of Anna University where he will be a visiting professor, chat with the PG students. Kalam does not want any salary for the post and he is free to decide what he wants to teach.    A born visionary and a teacher at heart, 76 year old, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities. During his entire tenure, he was often seen defying the security arrangement to reach out and interact the young children during his public meetings. He will always be remembered for his vision of a developed India by 2020.  Missile man Kalam turns 'media man'     A P J Abdul Kalam donned the role of a "media man" by launching a fortnightly e-paper Billion Beats to highlight the stories of India's "islands of success" and to establish knowledge connectivity on November 30, 2007. Apparently frustrated over Indian media's lack of focus in highlighting the country's success stories, Kalam, along with his associates launched the e-paper on his website  www.abdulkalam.com  recently.    "We have the islands of success in every field of activity and we have to connect them to make a garland," he said in his message to first edition of the e-paper being brought out by his associate V Ponraj. Typical of Kalam, the idea to have his own media medium struck him while he was coming out of a television interview in New Delhi. As he drove out of the studios, Kalam vented his frustration to his associates saying, "why are we not highlighting the success stories of achievers. Why are we not bringing unsung heroes to the forefront."  "Why an overdose of politics, murder, caste war why why", Kalam was quoted as saying in the inaugural edition by M Anantha Krishnan, its National Affairs Editor, explaining the reasons that prompted the former President to launch the new initiative. Kalam also wants his new venture to establish "knowledge connectivity" among people. Besides focusing on success stories, Kalam's e-paper has an interactive component to encourage people, especially students to share their success stories or inspiration.     Billion Beats, launched on Children's Day at Karim Nagar in Andhra Pradesh, is an attempt to celebrate the success of people in the country, from villages, cities, industrial sectors or any other sphere. "The e-paper should set a new tradition. It should celebrate the success of people wherever they are. It may be from an agricultural village or fishing village, it may be from a dairy village, it may be from the industrial or service sector," Kalam said in his message. "In short, Billion Beats should capture and spread the success and its glad tidings," he said. The e-paper has messages from the Indian Test Cricket team captain Anil Kumble and noted aerospace expert Dr Kota Harinarayana.  The memorable New Year's Speech     As we begin the New Year, we should all work  for the nation's development. This can be possible if everyone understand and learns that happiness comes from giving.  It is by giving, and giving in whichever way each one of us can, that all of us can make a positive contribution to the making of a developed India. In this context, I remember incidents from four great lives: Mahatma Gandhi,  Dr. Nelson Mandela, Jamsrethji Nusserwanji Tata and Saint Sheikh Abdul Quadir. Gandhiji's mother gave him beautiful advice when he was young: "Son, in your entire life time if you can save or better someone's life, your birth as a human being and your life is a success. You have the blessing of the Almighty God."    The spirit of this advice transformed Gandhiji's life on June 7, 1893 when he was evicted from a train's first class compartment at Pietermartizburg station because of the colour of his skin. It was then that he took up the fight against racial oppression, beginning his campaign of non-violence that became a powerful tool for India's Independence 54 years later.  When I was in at Pietermartizburg  station in 2004, my thoughts also turned arond to Dr. Mandela's struggle against apartheid and Robben Island where he'd been imprisoned for 26 years. Despite his travails there Mandela maintained his indomitable spirit. On becoming the President of South Africa, Mandela gave the people who practiced apartheid, and ill-treated him, all the freedom given in a democracy.    Also in 1980, Swami Vivekananda and Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata met on a ship sailing from Japan to the USA. Jamsetji said he wanted to bring the steel industry to India. Vivekananda suggested Jamshetji shouldn't just strive to bring technology for steel manufacture, but also its science. Inspired by this idea not only was Tata Steel established at Jamsehedpur, but Jamsetji gave one portion of his assets for starting a science institute; the Indian Institute of Science at Banglore. This shows that dream gives vision, vision give thoughts and thought leads to actions.

This New Year we must also remember the message from the events about one thousand years ago that led to an eight year old becoming a great saint, Sheikh Abdul Quadir Al-Geani. Living in Iraq, one day the child Quadir heard a voice telling him that his life is a greater mission. Inspired, he told his mother he wanted to go Baghdad to peruse knowledge. Permitting him, she stiched 40 gold coins inside his coat's lining, and said: "Oh my son! You are going!  I have detached myself from you for the shake of Allah... But take one advice from your mother, always feel the truth, speak the truth and propagate the truth even when your life is at stake."    On his journey, robbers attacked Quadirs's caravan. He truthfully told them gold coins were sown into his coat. Upon finding them, the astonished leader of the robbers asked what had prompted Quadir to make this confession. Quadir replied, " My mother made me promise to always be truthful even at the cost of my life. Here it was a matter of only 40 dinars. I promised her and never betrayed her trust, therefore I told you the truth." The looters were remorseful and from that day decided to start life afresh and the world saw the birth of a great saint.     In spite of all progress we made, an ascending economic trajectory, continuously rising foreign exchange reserves, reduced rate of inflation, global recognition of our technological competence, the energy of 540 million youth etc. However, there is a need to lift the economic condition and lifestyle of over 220 million people of our billion population.   APJ Abdul Kalam new book ‘Turning Point’    Certainly APJ Abdul Kalam be what he is – honest, forthright and sincere? Aren’t these the very qualities we loved him for? His new book released recently makes the raucous in the political circles over the revelations in his book ‘Turning Point’. In his book Kalam demolishes a few theories around Sonia Gandhi not taking over as prime minister in 2004. First, he says Sonia did not seek the prime minister’s job for herself after UPA’s electoral victory in 2004. In that case, he mentions, he would have had no option but to appoint her. He says he was surprised when she nominated Manmohan Singh for the top job. This blows to smithereens the perception that he was the one who stopped the Congress chief from staking claim to the top job.   When he says he had no option but the appoint her had she staked claim, he is simply referring to constitutional role he was supposed to perform in a situation like that of 2004. What it suggests is he was going by the book on the issue, not succumbing to pressure from outside against Sonia. This only shows the man in brighter light. He had the courage to resist the people who probably thought they owned him by making him president.   Launch skill mission in Uttar Pradesh     Former President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on May 26, 2012 suggested the launch of a comprehensive skill-based empowerment mission in Uttar Pradesh. He was speaking at the UP Development Conclave organised by Hindustan Times and Hindustan. This mission, he said, would require creating a skill map of UP to provide gainful employment to over 25 lakh unemployed youth in the state.  Dr Kalam also recommended setting up 100,000 social enterprises across the state to serve its 200 million people.   Each of these social enterprises, he said, could employ about 50 social entrepreneurs who can be the educated unemployed youth with a will to be a partner in the development and empowerment of Uttar Pradesh. Industry and academia could take up the task of training these social entrepreneurs as per the need, he suggested. In the presence of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, Dr Kalam said, "These social entrepreneurs of UP can work with the communities at the grassroot level along the empowerment radar. This will also help find value added employment for the 25 lakh unemployed and underemployed youth in the state and open avenues for additional youth."         He also suggested modernising the existing airports for tourist traffic and upgrading Lucknow, Agra, Allahabad and Varanasi to international standards. Airlines should be linked with a high-speed coordinated rail and road network for rapid transit between the three modes of transport, he added. With the country's youngest CM listening intently, the former President spoke on how to "empower 200 million" by laying out a comprehensive plan for developing and tapping the varied skills of the people here. The UP government, he said, could launch a statewide mission of social entrepreneurship for the youth.   The skill map of UP, he suggested, can come from the contribution of academic institutions and the district administration across all the towns in the state and objectively indicate the present state and potential of a particular skill set in the region.Batting for the 100 million youths, he said, "UP is home to every fifth youth in the nation." He said his suggestion could help the state to enhance its present per capita income from Rs. 26,051 to over Rs. 1 lakh through added employment for all its youth.  UP's strength, he said, were its '100 million young people beaming with energy and ideas. The need is to channelise the energy."   Kalam advises ISRO, NASA on Chandrayaan-II   Kalam suggested to both ISRO and NASA to work on future mission of Chandrayaan-II  using moon surface robotic penetrator.  Water on moon prompts ISRO to rethink on Chandrayaan-II Moon water traces finding by Chandrayaan-1 path-breaking: ISROChandrayan an amazing success, not a failure: NASA astronaut Data from Destination Moon: Chandryaan-1 being used for second moon mission Chandrayaan.  Kalam Co-author of the book                       APJ Abdul Kalam                    Acharya Mahapragya

Former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam said only a strong and happy family could lead to the birth of a noble nation. "It is possible to evolve a noble nation with the basic foundation of righteousness in the heart," Kalam said while releasing a book -- The  Family and the Nation, co-authored by him.   "Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony at  home. When there is harmony at home, there is an order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world," Kalam said quoting a divine hymn.     Co-author of the book and Jain guru Acharya Mahapragya said, "Spirituality and science seem to be two different concepts, but when we look at it from a wider perspective they are not different. Both move in the same direction in search of truth. Union of the two is very essential to resolve human problems," he said. The book elaborates a valuable counterpoint to the modern-day emphasis on consumerism and the philosophy of more is better, highlighting the sanctity of the natural world and its great power to evoke human creativity and love.  Kalam’s Vision 2020: A developed India   Asserting that a “small aim” is a crime, former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on June 19, 2008  said that the country’s youth can make a difference to society in the areas of literacy, environment and social  justice and they should work towards minimising the rural-urban divide.    Delivering the 58th Convocation Address at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) here, Mr. Kalam shared with the audience his ‘Vision 2020’ for India. “India will be a nation where there is equitable distribution and adequate access to energy and quality water, where agriculture, industry and service sector work together in symphony…a nation where the best of health care is available to all, where the governance is responsive, transparent and corruption-free....” “In order to achieve ‘Vision 2020’ from the present ambience, the role of educational institutions like AMU is to generate quality human resource  backed with value systems derived from our civilisational heritage,” he added. Mr. Kalam administered a ten- point oath to the youngsters “who have a responsibility to work for universal harmony by ironing out all causes of conflicts.”    Kalam frisked twice at US airport in September   Former president Dr APJ Abdul  Kalam was frisked not once but twice at an US airport in September,  an act that violates protocol followed by almost every other country. The incident had occurred at New York's John F Kennedy airport on September 29. Security personnel patted Kalam down before he was allowed aboard an Air India flight. They then tried to frisk him again once he was seated saying they'd forgotten to check his jacket and shoes for explosives. Security personnel patted Kalam down before he was allowed aboard an Air India flight.   But it was not a new experience for Kalam. In April 2009, Kalam had been frisked by officials of US airliner Continental Airlines despite the fact that his name featured in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security's list of people exempt from security checks in India. As per the US law, only current cabinet ministers are exempt from security screening. The Ministry of External Affairs has reacted, saying, "Under US law only cabinet ministers are exempt from security screening. Mr Kalam was accorded due courtesies at the airport.   Every Indian should be proud of Chandrayaan, says Kalam    The former President, A.P. J. Abdul Kalam, visited the Indian Deep Space Network and the giant antenna here and expressed his desire to see an Indian scientist land on the moon by 2021. “I would be 90 years old then,” he told a gathering of senior scientists. G. Madhavan Nair, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) presented Mr. Kalam with a picture of the Earth taken by the Terrain Mapping Camera on board Chandrayaan-1 from an altitude of 70,000 km.  Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters after launching an emergency response service in the city, Mr. Kalam said he believed that every Indian should be proud of the India's Chandryaan-1, the country’s first moon mission programme taken up by ISRO.  Kalam calls for movement to combat terrorism   Former president A P J Abdul Kalam on February 26, 2008  mooted a national-level campaign involving all people to combat terrorism that was "costing the country heavily." "The campaign should be in the form of a movement involving all," he said addressing students of various schools at an interactive programme here on "Me and My India".   Though unemployment and poverty were partially responsible for the menace of terrorism, there were certain nations promoting terrorism as political ideology. Hence, the UN should initiate action in this regard by forming a "counter force" to combat terrorism, he said replying to a question.    Talking about his pet theme of making India a developed nation by 2020, Kalam urged the youth to work hard to achieve the goal. Agriculture, health, education and information technology and infrastructure should be given priority. He stressed the need for developing creative leadership qualities among the youth to lead India on path of total development. Asking the students to inculcate certain types of leadership qualities, Kalam said "When you come out of schools and colleges by year 2020, you will enter a different India that requires good leaders.    A leader must have a vision and be able to travel in the unexploded path, manage failures and have courage, nobility in management, work with integrity and succeed with integrity, he said adding a developed India needed large number of such creative leaders.   India needs to work towards fossil fuel free energy: Kalam  In Gandhinagar on May 28, 2009: Emphasising the need for energy independence, former president A P J Abdul Kalam  said  on May 28, 2009 that India needs to work towards fossil fuel free energy systems by building capacities of those working in the oil and gas sector.    "The question before us is how do we protect our earth (against environment pollution)? My answer  would be, that eventually we should work for fossil fuel free energy systems. This is the goal of energy independence by 2030," Kalam said. He was speaking on "Capacity building for energy  independence" during the first convocation ceremony of the Pandit Deendayal Petroleum  University (PDPU) here."In the interim period, we have to work for  self-reliance in fuel, oil and gas. This is particularly important due to the wide variation in cost of crude oil over the last seven years,"  he said.   Kalam said that self-reliance can be achieved by capacity building of the young people entering  the energy sector who can play an important role in delivering affordable energy to customer. "Energy independence has to be achieved through three different sources namely renewable energy,  electrical power from nuclear energy and  bio-fuel for the transport sector," Kalam said. For the next two decades (by 2030), country's power generating capacity has to be increased to  4,00,000 MW from the current 1,50,000 MW, Kalam  said.

Abdul Kalam joins with environment awareness initiatives ‘My Earth My Duty’     On  August 13, 2012, former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and his foundation ‘What Can I Give’ joined hands with one of India’s biggest environment awareness initiatives ‘My Earth My Duty’. The green campaign has been Zee News’ endeavour since 2009 to spread awareness on the  issue of environmental degradation.    The campaign has already won support of over 50 million youngsters who have planted more than 1 crore trees across 1.5 lakh villages and district head quarters till now. Besides being recognized by Limca Book of Records, it has won several awards.  Kalam inaugurates India's first e-cycling technology       Former President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam has expressed concern over unsafe handling of Electronic Waste in India on January 21, 2010. Emphasising the need to conserve mineral resources for future consumption, former President A P J Abdul Kalam inaugurated the country's first e-waste extraction plant, in Oberoi hotel here yesterday. Speaking on the occasion, Nitin Gupta, CEO, Attero Recycling said, "E-waste is an important resource that can be made useful instead of shunning it as a social and environmental burden. Attempts should be made to explore alternate sources f metals."  The new technology focuses on maximum value extraction from e-waste in its indigenously developed mettalurgical unit. "E-waste in our country is being increased by 10 per cent every year and only five per cent of urban e-waste are recycled in India," Dr Kalam said, inaugurating the event. The event also was also attended by Mr Sachin Pilot Minister of State for Information Technology.