Former President A P J Abdul Kalam left for his heavenly abode yesterday. Kalam was admitted to a hospital following sudden illness. Kalam (84) took ill at a function and was rushed to the hospital.
The former President collapsed during a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management at around 6.30 pm and was taken to the hospital. Meghalaya Governor V Shanmughanathan and Chief Secretary P B O Warjri visited Bethany hospital where Kalam has been admitted.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra expressed their condolences via Twitter.
✔ @BJPRajnathSingh “Deeply saddened at the sudden demise of the former president of India Dr. APAJ Abdul Kalam. He was an inspiration to an entire generation.”
“V sad to hear that Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is no more. Nation has lost a real bharat ratna.”
Born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, Kalam studied physics and aerospace engineering. He served as the President of India from 2002 to 2007 and was awarded the nation’s top civilian awards, including Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Bharat Ratna.
Kalam spent four decades as a scientist and science administrator, at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He was the Chief Scientific Advisor to the Prime and the Secretary of the DRDO from 1992 to 199.
He also played a pivotal technical and political role in India’s Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, shortly after the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government came to power.
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in a poor Tamil Muslim family in Rameswaram. But he overcame all odds to study physics and aerospace engineering..
He also wrote 14 books on various topics including India 2020, Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds.
Kalam served as the 11th President of India, succeeding K R Narayanan. He won the 2002 presidential election with an electoral vote of 922,884, surpassing 107,366 votes won by Lakshmi Sahgal. He served from 25 July 2002 to 25 July 2007.
After serving a term of five years, he returned to his civilian life of education, writing, and public service.
