27th July 2015
This is a spontaneous post, I just typed and posted whatever came to my mind. So please, read it for the content alone.
I came across the news of the demise of the former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
True that anyone who is born has to depart one day, but rare is it that you feel so saddened by the demise of a person whom you have never known or met in person.
He represented what every bit of a human one ought to be. Coming from a very humble background from a small island in the southern India to have achieved knowledge and success with sheer grit and hard work. Success or failure never got to his head or clouded his vision... He only took what good he could extract from every situation he came across. He was known for his simple lifestyle, a vegetarian and a bachelor, who perhaps never wanted to have children of his own because he considered every child as his own.
The fact that on his demise every Indian be it from the ordinary citizens , a student , a businessman, a politician irrespective of political affiliation or region, people of different religions , movie stars, media persons...... even Baba Ramdev ! had only words of praise for him, such is his legacy.
The list would never end. Each and every person felt something common upon hearing the news. It is a rare sight that in a very diverse independent India where one would always find people divided about their opinion on an issue or on their opinion on a person, everybody had something to say to praise him. After our freedom fighters, I think he is one of the greatest souls to have lived in this country. Of course every patriot laying down his life for the country or contributing to it in some way is no less, but he was special.
He was a great learner, a pioneer scientist, man responsible for the ISRO's initial space launches, the missile man of India, a great leader motivating younger scientists as the chief of DRDO and went on to become the President of India. As the President too he stood out as the "People's President." He had that undying flare to interact with school and college students sharing his experiences and wisdom. Even in his last moments he was delivering a lecture, before he collapsed and was said to be declared dead when he was brought to the hospital. Seems like those inspirational stories, from ’Nothing to Everything' that most blockbuster movies are based on.
His life although was a perfect example of what a person ought to be...
Ever inquisitive about learning new things, imparting his own knowledge, experiences to others, being a spiritual person open and respectful to all faiths, beliefs and religions. A person who loved his country's cultural diversity and wanted to maintain it but at the same time wanted the country to progress with a scientific temper. Although, his work contributed to India becoming a Nuclear Power, he was an advocate for a nuclear weapons free world.
He was immensely successful in life though, he wasn't your conventional IIT educated student or someone who studied at an internationally renowned university. He was truly India's pride. Given a choice most well educated, pioneering Indians today would leave the country for a better life, money and fame to some developed nation to offer his services and relinquish his citizenship but Mr. Kalam was one of those rare patriots who chose to stay back. He had a vision for India, as a Superpower and worked very hard to contribute to it too, but sadly it couldn't be fulfilled in his life time. Very few know that he was a Tamil poet and played the Veena as well, among other things when he was not designing missiles.
One should listen to his speeches to get the essence of the person he really was. One inspiring speech in particular was about World Peace and that of Global Citizenship, in front of the European Parliament on the occasion of 50th anniversary of the EU.
Link :Mr. Kalam- Address at the European Union
He was and will always be remembered as one of those few righteous humans in our era, a great soul, a true patriot, an Indian who truly represented what India stands for...... An Indian representing what any ideal human should be like!
This post, is dedicated to Dr.Kalam one of my role models in life....
Thanks for inspiring me and many others. We will try to fulfill your dream as it is now our dream too. I just hope we get the same strength and resilience as you to keep working on it.
I salute you Sir, Jai hind !
This is a spontaneous post, I just typed and posted whatever came to my mind. So please, read it for the content alone.
I came across the news of the demise of the former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
True that anyone who is born has to depart one day, but rare is it that you feel so saddened by the demise of a person whom you have never known or met in person.
He represented what every bit of a human one ought to be. Coming from a very humble background from a small island in the southern India to have achieved knowledge and success with sheer grit and hard work. Success or failure never got to his head or clouded his vision... He only took what good he could extract from every situation he came across. He was known for his simple lifestyle, a vegetarian and a bachelor, who perhaps never wanted to have children of his own because he considered every child as his own.
The fact that on his demise every Indian be it from the ordinary citizens , a student , a businessman, a politician irrespective of political affiliation or region, people of different religions , movie stars, media persons...... even Baba Ramdev ! had only words of praise for him, such is his legacy.
The list would never end. Each and every person felt something common upon hearing the news. It is a rare sight that in a very diverse independent India where one would always find people divided about their opinion on an issue or on their opinion on a person, everybody had something to say to praise him. After our freedom fighters, I think he is one of the greatest souls to have lived in this country. Of course every patriot laying down his life for the country or contributing to it in some way is no less, but he was special.
He was a great learner, a pioneer scientist, man responsible for the ISRO's initial space launches, the missile man of India, a great leader motivating younger scientists as the chief of DRDO and went on to become the President of India. As the President too he stood out as the "People's President." He had that undying flare to interact with school and college students sharing his experiences and wisdom. Even in his last moments he was delivering a lecture, before he collapsed and was said to be declared dead when he was brought to the hospital. Seems like those inspirational stories, from ’Nothing to Everything' that most blockbuster movies are based on.
His life although was a perfect example of what a person ought to be...
Ever inquisitive about learning new things, imparting his own knowledge, experiences to others, being a spiritual person open and respectful to all faiths, beliefs and religions. A person who loved his country's cultural diversity and wanted to maintain it but at the same time wanted the country to progress with a scientific temper. Although, his work contributed to India becoming a Nuclear Power, he was an advocate for a nuclear weapons free world.
He was immensely successful in life though, he wasn't your conventional IIT educated student or someone who studied at an internationally renowned university. He was truly India's pride. Given a choice most well educated, pioneering Indians today would leave the country for a better life, money and fame to some developed nation to offer his services and relinquish his citizenship but Mr. Kalam was one of those rare patriots who chose to stay back. He had a vision for India, as a Superpower and worked very hard to contribute to it too, but sadly it couldn't be fulfilled in his life time. Very few know that he was a Tamil poet and played the Veena as well, among other things when he was not designing missiles.
One should listen to his speeches to get the essence of the person he really was. One inspiring speech in particular was about World Peace and that of Global Citizenship, in front of the European Parliament on the occasion of 50th anniversary of the EU.
He was and will always be remembered as one of those few righteous humans in our era, a great soul, a true patriot, an Indian who truly represented what India stands for...... An Indian representing what any ideal human should be like!
This post, is dedicated to Dr.Kalam one of my role models in life....
Thanks for inspiring me and many others. We will try to fulfill your dream as it is now our dream too. I just hope we get the same strength and resilience as you to keep working on it.
I salute you Sir, Jai hind !
