STILL HE IS A YOUNG MAN

Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabhudin Adbul Kalam, was born on the 15th October, 1931, at Rameshwaram in TamilNadu. He did his B.Sc. at the St. Joseph's College, Tiruchi, and DMIT in Aeronautical Engineering at the MIT, Madras, during 1954-57. He joined the DRDO in 1958. During 1963-82, he served the ISRO in various capacities.

As Project Director, SLV-3, he was responsible for carrying out design, development, qualification and flight testing of 44 major sub systems. In 1982, as Director, DRDO, was entrusted with the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme. He conceived the programme cnstituting 5 major projects for meeting the requirements of the defence services and for establishing re-entry technology.

The development and successful flight test of Prithvi, Trishul, Akash, Nag, and Agni established the indigeneous capability towards self reliance in defence preparedness. The successful launching of 'Agni' surface-to-surface missile is a unique achievement which made India a member of an exclusive club of highly developed countries. Thus, through SLV and Guided Missile Programme a solid foundation has been created in the indigeneous testing and development of high technology Aerospace Projects.

An Advanced Technology Research Centre, called Research Centre Imarat has also been established by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as an extension of DRDL to undertake development in futuristic missile technology areas. He has also established a unique 3 tier management structure to integrate and commit technologists, academic institutions, Industries etc. As a crowing glory to all his achievements, he was appointed Scientific Advisor to Raksha Manthri and Secretary, Dept. of Defence Research and Development.

He is a member of Indian National Academy of Sciences, Astronautical Society of India and many other professional bodies. He has published two books.

Awards He has been Awarded with the India's Highest civilian Award "The Bharat Ratna" in 1997.
Starting with Anna University's first D.Sc., Honoris Causa, he has received many such including the one given by IIT, Bombay, BHU and others.
Other prestigious awards include Dr.Biren Roy Space Award, Om Prakash Basin Award for Science and Technology, National Nehru Award, Arya Bhatta Award.
Dr. Abdul kalam, is praised as a welder of people and a Gandhian Missile Man by R.K. Laxman, in his cartoon in "Times of India."
As a humanitarian and with his extreme simplicity, easy access, he has become a National Hero. He loves Tamil poetry and is interested in carnatic music. He has himself written poems in Tamil. He adores his Gurus of MIT and cherishes his education and training at MIT.

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