Born on 15^th October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, DR AVUL PAKIR JAINULABDEEN ABDUL KALAM, specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology(MIT). DR ABDUL KALAM made significant contribution as project director to develop India’s first indigenous satellite launch vehicle {SLV-3} which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit in july 1980 and made India an exclusive member of space club. He was responsible for the evolution of ISRO’S launch vehicle programme, particularly the PSLV configuration. After working for two decades in ISRO and mastering launch vehicle technologies,  DR. KALAM took up the responsibility of developing indigenous guided missiles at Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) as the Chief Executive of integrated guided missile development programme. He was responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and PRITHVI missiles and for building indigenous capability in critical technologies through networking of multiple institutions . He was the scientific advisor to defense minister and secretary , department of defense research and development from July 1992 to December 1999. During this period, he led to the weaponisation of strategic missile systems and the pokharan-2 nuclear tests in collaboration with the department of atomic energy, which made India a nuclear weapon state. He also gave thrust to self reliance in defense systems by programming multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft. As chairman of Technology Information Forecasting and Aassessments council and as an eminent scientist, he led the country with the help of 500 experts to arrive at technology vision 2020 giving a road map for transforming India from the present developing status to a developed nation. DR ABDUL KALAM has served as the principal scientific advisor to the GOVERNMENT OF INDIA in the rank of cabinet minister, from November 1999-2001 and was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications. DR KALAM was also the chairman, EX-officer of the scientific advisory committee to the cabinet { SAC-C} and piloted India Millennium Mission 2020.

DR ABDUL KALAM took up academic pursuit as professor, technology and societal transformation at ANNA UNIVERSITY, Chennai from November 2001 and was involved in teaching and research tasks. Above all he took up a mission to ignite the young minds for national development by meeting high school students across the country.  In his literary pursuit his books like “Wings of Fire” “India 2020- a vision for new millennium”  “my journey” and “ignited minds- unleashing the power within India “ have become household names in India and among the Indian nationals abroad. These books have been translated in many Indian languages. In 2015 he was particularly working for SPACE SOLAR POWER at global level along with WORLD KNLOWLEDGE PLATFORM.

DR ABDUL KALAM is one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 48 universities all over the world. He has been awarded the coveted civilian awards- Padma Bhusan {1981} and Padma Vibhusan {1990} and the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna  {1997}. He has also received the King Charles-2 medal {2007}, the Woodrow Wilson award {2008}, the Hoover award {2008} and the International Von Karman Wings Award  Widespread {2009} among other international accolades.  Recognition  coupled with his extensive national service, made DR ABDUL KALAM a popular choice for high office, and he became the 11^th president of India in 2002. His popularity has endured and he is still  affectionately called the People’s President for bridging the gap between high office and common people.  His focus and the greatest ambition remains finding ways to transform India into a developed nation.  

As an elder statesman, he was in the Public eye for his role in offering counsel, reaching out to people and building bridges across religious and social divides. DR ABDUL KALAM’S focus was ever on transforming  India into a developed nation by 2020 and to this end he continued to travel across the country for his teaching assignments at IITs and IIMs, to address conferences and to meet students and people from all walks of life.

He passed away at one such lecture he had gone to deliver of Shillong on 27 July 2015. His message and influence continue to resonate with people across the country, and in all walks of life.