A devout Muslim and son of a <g data-gr-id="43">boatowner</g>, Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, who assumed office as the 11th President on July 18, 2002, was seen as a figurehead who could help heal some of the scars of the communal riots which broke out in Gujarat just a few months before.
The country's first bachelor President, Kalam, whose flowing grey hair is seen as being at odds with what Indians thought a president ought to look like, was one amongst the most respected people of the country who contributed immensely both as a scientist and as a president.
Acknowledged as the driving force behind India's quest for cutting-edge defence technologies, Kalam's contributions to India's satellite programmes, guided and ballistic missiles project, nuclear weapons programme and the Light Combat Aircraft(LCA) project made him a household name.
Born and raised in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on October 15, 1931, Kalam, who is known for having a unique style, joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) after studying physics and aerospace engineering after graduating from Madras Institute of Technology.
Mainly focusing on research in defence and space arena, he later involved himself in the India's missile programme. His contribution to the ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology earned him the named as the "Missile Man of India".
Kalam, who received several prestigious awards including Bharat Ratna, played a crucial role when India tested its nuclear weapons at Pokhran in 1998 when the Vajpayee government was in power.
A vegetarian bachelor, Kalam was quoted as saying that like most of the technology he spearheaded, he himself was "Made in India", having never been trained abroad.
Kalam succeeded K R Narayanan and served a full five-year term from 2002 until 2007 after he won the Presidential elections which <g data-gr-id="33">was</g> a highly one-sided contest with Lakshmi Sahgal, a revolutionary of the Indian Independence movement, as his rival. He secured the backing of all political parties.
With his appointment, Kalam became the first scientist and first ever bachelor to occupy the <g data-gr-id="40">Rastrapati</g> Bhawan.
Politicians cutting across party lines united in grief
Leaders cutting across the political spectrum tonight paid glowing tributes to former President A P J Abdul Kalam with President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing him as a “people’s President” and an “inspirational leader” who dedicated his entire life to the nation.
As the news of Kalam broke, condolences and tributes poured in from all corners of the country, reflecting the huge popularity he enjoyed both in and out of the highest office of the country that earned him the sobriquet of the “people’s President.”
Mukherjee, in a condolence message, said that “in Kalam’s passing away, we have lost a great son of India who dedicated his entire life for the welfare of the motherland and its people.
“Dr Kalam was a people’s President during his lifetime and will remain so even after his death,” he said. He said Kalam will be remembered for his passion for science and innovations and his contributions as an eminent scientist, administrator, educationist and writer. His achievements as leader of India’s defence research vastly enhanced the safety and security of the nation, Mukherjee said.
Modi said that in Kalam’s death he has lost a “<g data-gr-id="74">marg</g> <g data-gr-id="75">darshak</g>” who was a source of inspiration for the entire country, particularly for the youth. Recalling Kalam’s immense contribution in the field of science and technology, particularly space science, Modi said “India mourns the loss of a great scientist, a wonderful President & above all an inspiring individual.”
“In my <g data-gr-id="81">perosnal</g> life, he was a fine and senior guide (<g data-gr-id="83">margdarshak</g>). I got an <g data-gr-id="85">opprtunity</g> to work very closely to him. In my personal life, I have lost a best guide. The country has lost a son who worked to make country a strong nation. He gave his every moment to make India’s youth strong and self-reliant,” he said. Congress President Sonia Gandhi described Kalam as “one of the greatest scientific minds, a scholar statesman and a true patriot who inspired millions of young and old alike by his works and deeds.
Pall of gloom descends on kalam village
A pall of gloom descended on this island, the native place of former President A P J Abdul Kalam, as the news about his death reached his elder brother and other relatives here. A large number of people gathered in front of the former President's house to offer their condolences and mourn his death. The former President's brother, Mohammed Muthu Meera <g data-gr-id="125">Lebbai</g> Maraicker, who is 99, was weeping uncontrollably and demanding to see "the face of his brother," Maraicker's son Jainulabuddin told PTI.
They were talking to officials about discussing the possibility of bringing his body to Rameswaram for performing last rites, he said. The close relatives of Abdul Kalam, his grand nieces and nephews and cousins were seen wailing inside the house.