Family Background

Family Background

He was born on 15th October, 1931 in Tikundi of Dhanuskodi in the district of Rameswaram, TamilNadu. His father was Jainaluddin, mother Ashiamma. His full name is Abdul Pakir Jainaluddin Abdul Kalam.

Childhood Days

Childhood Days

His father, Jainaluddin was a poor boatman, who earned very little and so they had to face utter hardship. Little Kalam loved the sea very much and spent hours on the sea beach watching the waves of the blue ocean. His parents were very simple and religious that influenced his lifestyle. He is strictly vegetarian. The spiritual simplicity of his parents has turned him to be today's Kalam who believes in God, reads Koran and Gita daily, an ideal secular Indian in the truest sense of the term. His mother kindled the tender feelings within himself which infuses him to practise music and poems

Student Life

Student Life

His education begins in a rural primary at Rameswaram. Later he gets admitted in a Ramnathpuram missionary school, Schoartz. To meet the expense of the school he starts hawking the newspaper. His struggle is appreciated by the teachers of his school when they come forward to help him noticing the spark of brilliance within him. In 1950 he gets admission in St. Joseph College, Trichi and graduated in science. Later he gets admitted in Madras Institute of Technology with a desire to be a pilot

Job Profile

Job Profile

Passing out of MIT he joins the DRDO as the Senior Officer in 1958 in order to materialize his dream to construct an esteemed, powerful India. In his autobiography, "Wings of Fire" he writes " The searching period of my life spans from 1931 to 1963. Then I have sought for the goal of my life and the very way to achieve it often I used to ask myself what should I do?"
At last he joins ISRO in 1962 and next year engages himself in the research of launching the satellite, and comes in close contact with Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and Prof Satish Dhawan. Few months later he becomes the Project Director of SLV-3 satellite research programme; this marks the 2nd phase of his life.

Outcome of his Research

Outcome of his Research

On 21st November, 1963 he successfully launched the first Indian rocket Aryabhatta, followed by Rohini in 1967. In 1968 he st up the Indian Rocket Society. In 1972 the successful test flight of Sukhoi jet aircraft takes place under his supervision. Another satellite Rohini is stationed in the orbit in July, 1980. In1982 Dr. Raja Ramanna brings him back to DRDO as the Director. The then Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi appreciates his works and allots Rs 300 crore for his missile research programme. Since there is no looking back, his winning spree takes him off. Missiles like Prithvi, Agni, Trishul, Akash and Nag come out one by one and enrich our military warehouse behind he is the sole soul.

Appreciation of his Works

Appreciation of his Works

He was awarded Padma Bhushan and Padma Bibhusan respectively in 1981 and 1990. Same year Jadavpur University awarded him D.Sc and in 1998 ,Government of India honored him with the highest civilian title Bharat Ratna