Today also , I am going back in a recent history and writing briefly on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, our 11th President from July 2002 to July 2007.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
He was 11th President from July 2002 to July 2007. He was a scientist who worked for more than four decades with Defence Research & Development Organisatio(DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO), and was intensively involved in India’s civilian space programme & military missile development efforts. He thus came to be known as Missile Man of India, for his work on the development Ballistic Missile and Launch Vehicle. He also played a key technical role in Pokhran II nuclear tests in 1998.
When NDA in June 2002 announced that they are in favour of nominating the name of APJ Kalam, immediately main opposition parties like Congress, SP backed his candidacy. After the polling, which took place in Parliament and State Assemblies on 15th July 2002, and result announced on 18th July. APJ Abdul Kalam became the 11th President of the country. He was the third President of India , who was honoured with Bharat Ratna, even before he became President, other two Presidents were Dr S Radhakrisnan and Dr Zakir Hussain. He was the first scientist and bachelor to occupy Rashtrapati Bhavan.
During his tenure, he was affectionately called as People’s President. He once said that signing of Office of Profit Bill was one of the toughest decision which he taken during his presidency. Same time he was criticized for taking decision on mercy plea petition of 21 death row inmates. He acted on only one mercy petition of Dhananjoy Chatterji, who was later hanged. He did not take any action on the mercy plea of Afzal Guru who was awarded death sentence by SC in 2004,for his role in Parliamentry attack. He also supported the need of uniform Civil code in the country.
Still, as a President he was very popular among masses, and even politicians from all the parties respected him and in that circle he was known as no nonsense President. Although he was President in the regime of both NDA and UPA, but he was straight forward president with no bias to any political bloc, which Congress realized from the day 1 when he showed his reservation about Sonia Gandhi’s claim for Prime Ministership. He did not show any favour to Congress/UPA rule, he took decision as per law and norms laid down. The Congress was used to work with Rubber Stamp type Political President, therefore Congress did not favour Kalam for 2nd term of Presidency. Although so many parties were in favour of he being elected for 2nd term. But looking at the political scenario Kalam took the decision of stepping down as President after his term was over.
After leaving office, Kalam became a visiting professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong , the Indian Institute of Management , Ahmedabad and the Indian Institute of Management, Indore ; an honorary fellow of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore;Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Science & Technology, Trivandrum ; professor of Aerospace Engineering at Anna University; and an adjunct at many other academic and research institutions across India. He taught information technology at the International Institute of Foreign Technology,Hyderabad.
In May 2012, Kalam launched a programme for the youth of India called the What Can I Give Movement, with a central theme of defeating corruption.
In 2011, Kalam was criticised by civil groups over his stand on theKoodankulam Nuclear Power Plant; he supported the establishment of the nuclear power plant and was accused of not speaking with the local people The protesters were hostile to his visit as they saw him as a pro-nuclear scientist and were unimpressed by the assurances he provided regarding the safety features of the plant.
On 27 July 2015, Kalam travelled to Shillong to deliver a lecture on “Creating a Livable Planet Earth” at the IIM Shillong. While climbing a flight of stairs, he experienced some discomfort, but was able to enter the auditorium after a brief rest. At around 6:35 p.m. , only five minutes into his lecture, he collapsed. He was rushed to the nearby Bethany Hospital in a critical condition; upon arrival, he lacked a pulse or any other signs of life. Despite being placed in the ICU, Kalam was confirmed dead of a sudden Cardiac Arrest at 7:45 p.m .
The Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial was built in memory of Kalam by the DRDO in Pei Karumbu, in the island town of Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. It was inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi in July 2017. On display are the replicas of rockets and missiles with which Kalam had worked with. Acrylic paintings about his life are also displayed along with hundreds of portraits depicting the life of the mass leader. There is a statue of Kalam in the entrance showing him playing the Veena. There are two other smaller statues of the leader in sitting and standing posture.
In my opinion, he was one of the the best President India ever had, friends what is your opinion on this subject. Please do write your views/comments/ feed backs in the comments column at the end of the blog.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
30th Aug, 2018
R. N. Mungale.
Mr. A. P. J. . Abdul Kalam was the very best President India had.