The People's President


Book Description

Dr APJ Kalam abolished the practice of having a larger chair for the Rashtrapati on a dias when attending any function He regularly read both the Quran and the Geeta and played the veena and wrote poetry in his spare time His favourite Mahabharata character was Vidura because he had the courage to differ and fight injustice in a peaceful manner Caliph Umar, Mahatma Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Emperor Ashoka and Abraham Lincoln were the five greatest human beings to have lived on this earth according to Dr Kalam The author, SM Khan,acquaints us with lesser known facts and stories which went towards making the great Dr Kalam the 'People's President'. SM Khan was presssecretarytothelateAPJAbdulKalam and shared a unique relationship with the unusual President. The first state visit made by Dr Kalam in 2002 after swearing in as President was to Gujrat where he was received at the airport by the then Chief Minister and now Prime Minister of India, Mr Narendra Modi. Together they visited nine riot-torn areas and three relief camps. Details of this visit as well as those to the other states in India and various trips abroad in the course of his Presidency are captured in this book in a manner that is engaging and informative. Interspersed with interesting anecdotes and happenings, this comprehensive compendium of Dr Kalam's experiences as the President of India finally culminate in his post-presidency days with SM Khan's last poignant meeting with Dr Kalam just a few days before his passing away. A must read for both fans and those who wish to know more about the People's President, Dr APJ Kalam.




Wings of Fire


Book Description

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, The Son Of A Little-Educated Boat-Owner In Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Had An Unparalled Career As A Defence Scientist, Culminating In The Highest Civilian Award Of India, The Bharat Ratna. As Chief Of The Country`S Defence Research And Development Programme, Kalam Demonstrated The Great Potential For Dynamism And Innovation That Existed In Seemingly Moribund Research Establishments. This Is The Story Of Kalam`S Rise From Obscurity And His Personal And Professional Struggles, As Well As The Story Of Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul And Nag--Missiles That Have Become Household Names In India And That Have Raised The Nation To The Level Of A Missile Power Of International Reckoning.




Encyclopaedia Britannica


Book Description

This eleventh edition was developed during the encyclopaedia's transition from a British to an American publication. Some of its articles were written by the best-known scholars of the time and it is considered to be a landmark encyclopaedia for scholarship and literary style.







THE SCIENTIFIC INDIAN


Book Description

Nuclear capability; self-sufficiency in food production; an array of indigenous satellites and missiles; an unmanned Moon mission—India’s achievements in the scientific domain in recent years have been spectacular. But; according to the country’s best-known scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and his close associate Y.S. Rajan; we’ve only just begun. In a century that many experts predict may belong to India; the realization of the vision of a better future for everyone will require a keen understanding of our needs and this can only be achieved by tailoring our research and innovations to the goal of national development. India to the forefront of the world in the decades to come. The Scientific Indian will speak to every curious and adventurous mind; and especially to tomorrow’s scientists and technologists; encouraging us to dream big; and urging us to work hard to make our dreams come true. In The Scientific Indian; the authors of the path-breaking India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium return after ten years to the core areas of scientific advancement that are crucial today: space exploration; satellite technology; missile development; earth and ocean resources; the biosphere; food production; energy and water harvesting; health care and communications; to name a few. For each aspect; the authors provide the context of recent progress on the global platform as well as Indian breakthroughs; before outlining a pragmatic vision of technological development that will propel




The Kalam Effect


Book Description

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam became President of India in July 2002. He came to the highest office in the land with doubts being cast on the wisdom of appointing a non-politician, even if it was someone as distinguished as him (he is a recipient of the Bharat Ratna for his work on India's space and defence programmes), to the post. What followed, however, was a remarkable presidency that in the next five years transformed the way people looked at this office, and made Kalam popular in a way few politicians have been. Rashtrapati Bhavan became a much more accessible place in his time, and his enthusiasm for his favourite cause-a developed and strong India-infected all those who came in touch with him. While the reasons for his popularity will be analysed for a long time, P.M. Nair, who was his Secretary, shows through a series of vignettes in The Kalam Effect some of the probable causes. One of them being that Kalam is just a very special human being. P.M. Nair had a long and varied career in the IAS, which he joined in 1967. In July 2002 he was appointed Secretary to the President and continued in that position all through the five years of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's tenure at Rashtrapati Bhavan.




Turning Points


Book Description

It was like any other day on the Anna University campus in Chennai. As I was returning to my room in the evening, the vice-chancellor, Prof. A. Kalanidhi, fell in step with me.Someone had been frantically trying to get in touch with me through the day, he said. Indeed, the phone was ringing when I entered the room.When I answered, a voice at the other end said, 'The prime minister wants to talk with you.' Some months earlier, I had left my post as Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India to return to teaching. Now, as I spoke to the PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, my life was set for an unexpected change.Turning Points takes up the incredible Kalam story from where Wings of Fire left off. It brings together details from his career and presidency that are not generally known as he speaks out for the first time on certain points of controversy. It is a continuing saga, above all, of a journey - individual and collective - that will take India to 2020 and beyond as a developed nation.




The Republic of India


Book Description




A.P.J. Abdul Kalam


Book Description

The definitive biography of India's most loved leader and scientist Aeronautical engineer, rocket scientist, missile man, visionary, teacher and the most inspiring head of state in living memory - Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was all these and more. Unquestionably the most revered Indian leader since Mahatma Gandhi, he transcended all the boundaries and obstacles that came his way in the course of a remarkable life; and he did so with grace and humility.Arun Tiwari tells Dr Kalam's life story with a deep understanding of his formative experiences and character and reveals him as a man personifying all the glory and paradoxes of his nation: secular and religious; exalted and humble; schooled and unaffected; dynamic and calm; scientific and spiritual - an Indian above all.




The Righteous Life


Book Description

A definitive collection that brings together the best of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's writings. Dr. Kalam, who was India's eleventh President and has been a scientist and a teacher, has written more than twenty books. Ranging from inspirational and spiritual thoughts, to autobiographical reflections to his vision statements for a developed India, these works bear the imprint of a mind that is deeply reflective. For the first time, some of the most thoughtful, inspiring and educative of these writings have been compiled in one place in The Righteous Life. Some of the essays in this volume describe his early life, family and teachers and his entry into the world of scientific development and research. Also included are his thoughts on education, governance, probity in public life and his analysis and solutions to some of India's problems such as corruption, energy independence and the overall development of the country. Filled with wisdom and farsighted thinking that upholds honesty, diligence and spirituality, the Righteous Life showcases the working of one of the finest minds in the country.