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Born on 15th October 1931
at Rameswaram, in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Avul Pakir
Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, specialized in Aero
Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology
That
Dr. Abdul Kalam is a bachelor and a teetotaler?
That
he recites the Holy Quran and the Bhagvad Gita daily
and is equally at home with both Holy Scriptures?
That Dr. Abdul Kalam has gone abroad for studies
only once in 1963-64 to the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration (NASA) in the United States?
That as a young boy, he sold newspapers to enhance
his family's income?
That he is so modest about his achievements that at
every felicitation ceremony he gives full credit for
India's success to his colleagues?
Childhood and Career
Oct
15, 1931 : Born at Dhanushkodi in Rameswaram
district,Tamil Nadu. His father had to rent boats to
pay his school fees. He studied at the Schwartz High
School in Ramanathapuram.
1954-58
: After graduating in science from St. Joseph's
College in Tiruchi, he enrolled for Aeronautical
Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology in
1954.
1958
Kalam joined the Defence Research & Development
Organisation (DRDO) and served as a senior
scientific assistant, heading a small team that
developed a prototype hovercraft. But the project,
never took off.
1962
: Following the lukewarm response to his hovercraft
program, Kalam moved out of DRDO and joined Indian
Space Research Organization (ISRO)
1963-82
: Kalam joined the satellite launch vehicle team at
Thumba, near Trivandram and soon became Project
Director for SLV-3.
1980
: Rohini put into orbit in the month of July
1981
: Kalam honoured with the Padma Bhushan
1982
: Kalam returns to DRDO as its Director. Takes
charge of India's integrated guided missile
development program. The program envisaged the
launch of five major missiles.
1992
: Kalam takes over as the Scientific Advisor to
Union Defence Minister.
1997
: Kalam honoured with "Bharat Ratna",
india's highest civilian award.
May
11, 1998 : Adorning a Gorkha hat in the Rajasthan
deserts, he orchestrated India's underground nuclear
tests. The scientist from a small hamlet in Tamil
Nadu who had dreamt of India as a nuclear power many
years ago had finally achieved it!
2002
: Kalam takes over as the President of India
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