Abstract:
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Born as Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, he was India’s 11th President from 2002 to 2007. On July 27, 2015, Dr Kalam lost his life while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong. He collapsed and died from an apparent cardiac arrest on 27 July 2015, aged 83. Dr Kalam was referred as ‘People’s President’.
Description:
APJ Abdul Kalam also excelled as an author, inspirational speaker, scientist, researcher and much more. His contributions to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation are notable. Mr Kalam played a pivotal organisational, technical, and political role in India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974. The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Bhushan in 1981 and the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 for his work with ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Government. Dr Kalam received India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1997 for his contribution to the scientific research and modernisation of defence technology in India. In 2013, he was the recipient of the Von Braun Award from the National Space Society “to recognise excellence in the management and leadership of a space-related project”.
