A P J Abdul Kalam | Braves By Their Broken Hearts

What made this poor paperboy from a small village, become the Missile Man of India? What made this backward student in school become the President of the largest Democratic country in the world?
Have a look at some of the most remarkable events from the life of Shri A.P.J Abdul Kalam...

Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam | Biographical Sketch

• He was born in a tamil Muslim family
• His father was a boat owner. 

• Kalam was the youngest of the four brothers and one sister in his family.
• All the family's properties were lost except an ancestral home.
• At an early age, Kalam used to sold newspapers in order to supplement his family for income.
• Kalam scored just average grades in school but, described as a Bright and Hardworking student by his teachers.

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• Kalam always interested in Mathematics.
• He was extremely close to his elder siblings and their extended families throughout his life, and would regularly send small sums of money to his older relations, himself remaining a lifelong bachelor.
• He narrowly missed the dream of becoming a pilot.
• Kalam was noted for his integrity and his simple lifestyle.
• His few personal possessions included his books, his veena, some articles of clothing, a CD player and a laptop.

• Religion and spirituality were very important to Kalam throughout his life.
• Kalam joined DRDO(Defence Research and Development Organisation), India.
• He was fond of saying: "For great men, religion is a way of making friends, small people make religion a fighting tool".
• Worked as the project Director of India's first Satellite Launch Vechicle (SLV III) and made its launch successful.
• Kalam played a major part in developing missiles named AGNI and PRITHVI, but got critisized for mismanagement and Cost-Time Overruns.
• he learnt Sanskrit, read the Bhagavad Gita and he was a vegetarian. Kalam also enjoyed writing Tamil poetry, playing the veena (a South Indian string instrument), and listening to Carnatic devotional music every day.

• Kalam worked as the Chief Scientific Advisor to Prime Minister of India between 1992 and 1999.
• In 1998, along with a cardiologist, Soma Raju, Kalam developed a low cost Coronary Stent. The team in 2012 , designed a rugged tablet computer for healthcare in Rural Areas, which is called "KALAM-RAJU Tablet"
• Kalam won the 2002 Presidental Elections with an electoral vote of 922,884.
• He lasted as President of India from 25 July 2002 to 25 July 2007.
• He was the 3rd President of India to be honoured with Bharat Ratna,India's Highest Civilian Honour.

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• First Scientist and Bachelor to occupy Rashtrapati Bhavan.
• During his term, he was known affectionately as the People's President.
• After leaving Presidential Office, Kalam became a visiting professor in IIM Shillong, IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Indore and IISc Bangalore.
• Became Chancellor of Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram.
• 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 the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant. He supported the establishment of the nuclear power plant and was accused of not speaking with the local people.

• On 27 July 2015, Kalam travelled to Shillong to deliver a lecture on "Creating a Livable Planet Earth" at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong.He collapsed to death while delivering this lecture.
• ISRO chairman A. S. Kiran Kumar called his former colleague "a great personality and a gentleman", while former chairman G. Madhavan Nair described Kalam as "a global leader" for whom "the downtrodden and poor people were his priority. He always had a passion to convey what is in his mind to the young generation"
• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina described Kalam as "a rare combination of a great statesman, acclaimed scientist, and a source of inspiration to the young generation of South Asia"