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Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, commonly known as APJ Abdul Kalam, the 11th president of independent India was born on October 15, 1931, in Rameswaram, India. He was born into a poor family and to feed his family he began working from a young age. Kalam sir played a crucial role in the development of missile and nuclear weapons technology in India. He insisted on education to the extent that even after becoming a president he did not give up nurturing new minds with his knowledge. Here we will cover some amazing facts about APJ Abdul Kalam that everyone should know.
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The life cycle of APJ Abdul Kalam
Before hopping on to the life cycle, let’s look into his nickname. APJ Abdul Kalam was also known as the “Missile Man.” It was in 1998, when the nuclear weapons test solidified that India became a nuclear power, further saving this nickname to himself. Kalam died on July 27, 2015, while he was doing what he loved the most. He was at the Indian Institute of Management in Shillong.
| Year | What did he do? |
| 1958 | Completed Graduation in aeronautical engineering |
| 1960 | Joined Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) |
| 1969 | Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) |
| 1982 | DRDO |
| 1992 | Scientific Advisor to Defense Minister |
| 1999 | Principal Scitist to Indian Governemnt |
| 2002 | President of India |
Facts about APJ Abdul Kalam
- Before becoming the famous personality or the ‘Missile Man,” he used to sell newspapers to earn money for his family.
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- This fact about APJ Abdul Kalam is a life lesson as well. He wanted to get into the Indian Air Force (IAF) but he was ranked 9th when the vacancies were only for eight candidates.
- He is awarded India’s highest civilian honors twice- Padma Vibhshan (1990) and Bharat Ratana (1997).
- He was the first President of India who was an unmarried individual. APJ Abdul Kalam was also a vegetarian.
- This fact about APJ Abdul Kalam is one of the key reasons he was called a missile man. He developed the famous Prithvi and Agni missiles.
- Along with the profession of scientist, APJ Abdul Kalam was also an incredible writer. He wrote an autobiography, ‘Wings of Fir,’ and other books like ‘Ignited Minds,’ ‘The Luminous Sparks, ‘Guiding Souls,’ and many more books.
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- AJ Abdul Kalam was subjected to frisking by a developed nation. At JFK airport, APJ Abdul Kalam was asked to go through a double security check, not once but twice. After much effort by the International Affairs Ministry, the Obama administration acknowledged this issue and apologized for the same.
- A newly discovered plant series in 2018 “Drypetes Kalamii” was named after the name of APJ Abdul Kalam.
- A well-known fact about APJ Abdul Kalam is that he practiced Sunni Islam. But an unknown fact about his presidency is that he became the President of India with the support of the Hindu ruling Party BJP and the opposition of Congress.
- Kalam was only once criticized by people when he decided to install the Koodankulam Nuclear power plant without letting the locals know about it.
Some quotes By APJ Abdul Kalam
Below are some of the most famous quotes by the 11th President of the independent nation.
- “Dream, Dream, Dream. Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action.”
- “Life is a difficult game. You can win it only by retaining your birthright to be a person.”
- “Determination is the power that sees us through all our frustration and obstacles. It helps in building our willpower which is the very basis of success.”
This was all about the facts about APJ Abdul Kalam. If you want to know more on topics like the President of India elections, then visit our general knowledge page! Alternatively, you can also read our blog on general knowledge for competitive exams!