Demise of Ex-President of India - a Tamilian of Tamil Nadu

[virarajendra]

Author: Virarajendra

(Brought forward on account of the opening of the "Manimandapam" at Rameswarem Island of India in memory of Late Dr Abdul Kalam - Former President of India today the 27-07-2017 by Thiru Narendra Modi - the Prime Minister of India)

(Brought forward on account of his 85th Birthday today 15-10-2016)

The demise of Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam the "Ex-President of India" - a great Nuclear Scientist of immense fame, and a "great Native Tamilian of Islamic Faith" from Rameswarem of Tamil Nadu.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5znDyS4wJWQ/UNx0rzTQFjI/AAAAAAAAVM8/ukSvDoeCzZ4/s1600/Dr-A-P-J-abdul-Kalam.jpg

Bharat Ratna Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam (15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015) a great son of Tamil Nadu & India - the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007, and a great Nuclear Scientist fell ill today evening (27-7-2015) and met his death at the hospital at Shillong, Meghalaya, India.

Our sympathies on his death and may his Soul rest in peace at the feet of "Almighty Allah"

His Life History & Great Achievements are portrayed in the Website with the following URL (courtesy :Wikipedia)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._P._J._Abdul_Kalam

"தாய்மொழியான தமிழ் வழியில் கல்வி பயின்று", அறிவியல் துறையில் உலக சாதனைகள் செய்தவர் அப்துல் கலாம் - Dinamalar (Translation): "Having (primary & secondary) education by way of (his) Mother Tongue Tamil", (one who) made great World achievements in the field of Science was "Abdul Kalam"

Dr Abdul Kalam was well versed in Tamil Literature and often referred to them in his discussions with others. He was a scholar in "Tamil Thirukkural" and very often has made quotes from "Thirukkural" in his speeches at the Conferences, Meetings and Seminars in India and Overseas.

At the opening session of the "European Union Conference" held recently in Europe, Dr Abdul Kalam quoted a Tamil Verse of the "Tamil Poet Kaniyan Poongkuntranaar" from the Tamil Literary work "Puranaanooru" of the Third Sangam period of the first century B.C. This verse states "Every Country is my Country and every Citizen is my Kinsman" stressing the universal nature of the Internationl Relations, and he also explained on the content of the balance portion of this Tamil verse at the conference. Refer the fourth Video below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88pVg67S0xE/=player_embedded Courtesy: "Puthiya Thalaimurai" (in Tamil)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCSwFdk3mYU=player_detailpage Courtesy: "Official Kalam com" (in Tamil)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcq6PGfM15E=player_detailpage Courtesy: SS Engineering College

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JloveCA3rKU=player_embedded Speech at European Parliment (Abridged)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vw9tYzAkctU=player_embedded Courtesy Mallika Sarabhai

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laGZaS4sdeU=player_detailpage Courtesy: "Knowledge Wharton"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL33vdWFIa8=player_embedded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG8FpFMHCKs=player_detailpage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6k4Z62uNZWc=player_detailpage Courtesy: DD News

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxpYadso0M8=player_embedded Courtesy: Vicky - Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKlwYoZJcdI=player_detailpage Courtesy: Vignesh Kumar - "Vande Mataram" song by A.R.Rahuman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RORytWBZ1I0=player_embedded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ-pv4UO-eM=player_embedded

[NOV]

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A scientist, educator, thinker, philosopher, musician, poet and much more - a towering Tamil is no more.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam will be remembered not only as an ex-President and a rocket scientist, but also as a great statesman. His life is an inspiration for many.

He loved Tamil literature and used to read Thirukural everyday. Before his passing, Dr. Abdul Kalam had completed seven chapters of a book in Tamil, "எண்ணத்தில் நலமிருந்தால் கனவு தமிழகம் உருவாகும், புயலை தாண்டினால் தென்றல்" - A dream Tamilnadu can happen if there are sincere efforts - turning a storm into a breeze!

Rest in Peace Dr. Abdul Kalam.

Your place in the annals of history is secured.


கலாம்... காலம் சென்று விட்டாராம்..
மூடர்களே, விஞ்ஞானம் விதைக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறது..
பிதற்றாதீர்கள்... இவர் இருந்ததே விண்ணில்தான்..
நீர் போய் வாரும் தலைவா..

[NOV]

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It has been eight hours since we last talked – sleep eludes me and memories keep flushing down, sometimes as tears. Our day, 27th July, began at 12 noon, when we took our seats in the flight to Guhawati. Dr. Kalam was 1A and I was IC. He was wearing a dark colored “Kalam suit”, and I started off complimenting, “Nice color!” Little did I know this was going to be the last color I will see on him.

Long, 2.5 hours of flying in the monsoon weather. I hate turbulence, and he had mastered over them. Whenever he would see me go cold in shaking plane, he would just pull down the window pane and saw, “Now you don’t see any fear!”.

That was followed by another 2.5 hours of car drive to IIM Shillong. For these two legged trip of five hours we talked, discussed and debated. These were amongsthundreds of the long flights and longer drives we have been together over the last six years.

As each of them, this was as special too. Three incidents/discussions in particular will be “lasting memories of our last trip”.

First, Dr. Kalam was absolutely worried about the attacks in Punjab. The loss of innocent lives left him filledwith sorrow. The topic of lecture at IIM Shillong was Creating a Livable Planet Earth. He related the incident to the topic and said, “it seems the man made forces are as big a threat to the livability of earth as pollution”. We discussed on how, if this trend of violence, pollution and reckless human action continues we will forced to leave earth. “Thirty years, at this rate, maybe”, he said. “You guys must do something about it… it is going to be your future world”

Our second discussion was more national. For the past two days, Dr. Kalam was worried that time and again Parliament, the supreme institution of democracy, was dysfunctional. He said, “I have seen two different governments in my tenure. I have seen more after that. This disruption just keeps happening. It is not right. I really need to find out a way to ensure that the parliament works on developmental politics.”

He then asked me to prepare a surprise assignment question for the students at IIM Shillong, which he would give them only at the end of the lecture. He wanted to them to suggest three innovative ways to make the Parliament more productive and vibrant. Then, after a while he returned on it. “But how can ask them to give solutions if I don’t have any myself”. For the next one hour, we thwarted options after options, who come up with his recommendation over the issue. We wanted to include this discussion in our upcoming book, Advantage India.

Third, was an experience from the beauty of his humility. We were in a convoy of 6-7 cars. Dr. Kalam and I were in the second car. Ahead us was an open gypsy with three soldiers in it. Two of them were sitting on either side and one lean guy was standing atop, holding his gun. One hour into the road journey, Dr. Kalam said, “Why is he standing? He will get tired. This is like punishment. Can you ask a wireless message to given that he may sit?” I had to convince him, he has been probably instructed to keep standing for better security. He did not relent. We tried radio messaging, that did not work. For the next 1.5 hours of the journey, he reminded me thrice to see if I can hand signal him to sit down. Finally, realizing there is little we can do – he told me, “I want to meet him and thank him”.

Later, when we landed in IIM Shillong, I went inquiring through security people and got hold of the standing guy. I took him inside and Dr. Kalam greeted him. He shook his hand, said thank you buddy. “Are you tired? Would you like something to eat? I am sorry you had to stand so long because of me”. The young lean guard, draped in black cloth, was surprised at the treatment. He lost words, just said, “Sir, aapkeliye to 6 ghantebhikhaderahenge”.

After this, we went to the lecture hall. He did not want to be late for the lecture. “Students should never be made to wait”, he always said. I quickly set up his mike, briefed on final lecture and took position on the computers. As I pinned his mike, he smiled and said, “Funny guy! Are you doing well?”

‘Funny guy’, when said by Kalam could mean a variety of things, depending on the tone and your own assessment. It could mean, you have done well, you have messed up something, you should listen to him or just that you have been plain naïve or he was just being jovial. Over six years I had learnt to interpret Funny Guy like the back of my palm. This time it was the last case. “Funny guy! Are you doing well?” he said. I smiled back, “Yes”. Those were the last words he said.

Two minutes into the speech, sitting behind him, I heard a long pause after completing one sentence. I looked at him, he fell down.

We picked him up. As the doctor rushed, we tried whatever we could. I will never forget the look in his three-quarter closed eyes and I held his head with one hand and tried reviving with whatever I could. His hands clenched, curled onto my finger. There was stillness on his face and those wise eyes were motionlessly radiating wisdom. He never said a word. He did not show pain, only purpose was visible.

In five minutes we were in the nearest hospital. In another few minutes the they indicated the missile man had flown away, forever. I touched his feet, one last time. Adieu old friend! Grand mentor! See you in my thoughts and meet in the next birth.

As turned back, a closet of thoughts opened.

Often he would ask me, “You are young, decide what will like to be remembered for?” I kept thinking of new impressive answers, till one day I gave up and resorted to tit-for-tat. I asked him back, “First you tell me, what will you like to be remembered for? President, Scientist, Writer, Missile man, India 2020, Target 3 billion…. What?” I thought I had made the question easier by giving options, but he sprang on me a surprise. “Teacher”, he said.

Then something he said two weeks back when we were discussing about his missile time friends. He said, “Children need to take care of their parents. It is sad that sometimes this is not happening”. He paused and said, “Two things. Elders must also do. Never leave wealth at your deathbed – that leaves a fighting family. Second, one is blessed is one can die working, standing tall without any long drawn ailing. Goodbyes should be short, really short”.

Today, I look back – he took the final journey, teaching, what he always wanted to be remembered doing. And, till his final moment he was standing, working and lecturing. He left us, as a great teacher, standing tall. He leaves the world with nothing accumulated in his account but loads of wishes and love of people. He was a successful, even in his end.

Will miss all the lunches and dinners we had together, will miss all the times you surprised me with your humility and startled me with your curiosity, will miss the lessons of life you taught in action and words, will miss our struggles to race to make into flights, our trips, our long debates. You gave me dreams, you showed me dreams need to be impossible, for anything else is a compromise to my own ability. The man is gone, the mission lives on. Long live Kalam.

Your indebted student,
Srijan Pal Singh

[virarajendra]

Dear Nov - I thank you very much for the inclusion of more "Photos" and "Additional Informations" which will be much beneficial to everyone in India, and especially to the Tamilians of Tamil Nadu & Worldover.

[apewenodurug]

NOV Ayya,
Your posting of the last moments account brought tears to my eyes! Thank you!

[NOV]

Sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik pays tribute to Bharat Ratna Dr. ‪APJ Abdul Kalam‬.



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[raagadevan]

The People's President: A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015)

An In-depth Special; The Hindu, July 27, 2015

http://www.thehindu.com/specials/in-depth/apj-abdul-kalam-19312015/article7470874.ece?w=alauto

[Isai Rasigan]

When will we ever see a person like him again? Don't think it will happen in our life time. I feel as if I have lost somebody in my circle of friends and relatives. What a man! At this time, I am tempted to recall the words of Albert Einstein when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated - "Generations to come will scarce believe that such a man walked on the face of the earth". I think this applies to Dr.Kalam as well.

Look at the outpouring of emotions from the man on the street. This is genuine love and affection, not the manufactured kind we get to see often. When he was the President, I felt a little more pride in being an Indian. The "feel good" factor was palpable all over the country, from the youngest to the oldest. He proved that hard work, sincerity and unimpeachable integrity will take you to the very top, never mind your origins.

Farewell Sir, may your soul rest in peace.

[raagadevan]

Kerala to name Technological University after Dr Kalam

Honouring the contributions of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Kerala government has decided to name its proposed Technological University after him. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the state Assembly, here on Wednesday. "Dr Kalam was a person who had made exceptional contributions to accelerate India's pace in the field of science and technology. He had close connections with the state for around 20 years as a scientist", he said. "So we decided to name the Technological University as A P J Abdul Kalam Technological University", Chandy said.

[Source: english.manoramaonline.com]

[raagadevan]

Global satellite to be named after Abdul Kalam

A global satellite for earth observation and disaster risk reduction — GlobalSat for DRR — proposed under the UN framework is to be dedicated to A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as a tribute to the vision of the celebrated rocket scientist and former Indian president who died July 27.

http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/global-satellite-to-be-named-after-abdul-kalam/article7512030.ece?homepage=true

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[raagadevan]

‘Kalam inspired Indians to dream big’

A function held at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala pays glowing tributes to Kalam on his first death anniversary...

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-kerala/kalam-inspired-indians-to-dream-big/article8909628.ece

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[raagadevan]

Row over Abdul Kalam’s statue

The Hindu - July 30, 2017

"The imposing memorial of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27 here found itself at the centre of a controversy on Sunday with the Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) strongly objecting to the placing of the Quran and the Bible next to a model of the Bhagavad Gita that was part of the small podium on which the statue of the former president has been erected."

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/kalam-kin-seek-to-defuse-row-over-gita-sculpture-in-memorial/article19390680.ece?homepage=true

[virarajendra]

Let there be Unity among "Diversity of Religions" in Tamil Nadu and India

(Mahakavi Subramaniya Bharathiyaar "also" refutes at Religious Disputes among the people of Tamil Nadu as follows)

"தெய்வம் பலபல சொல்லிப் - பகைத்
தீயை வளர்ப்பவர் மூடர்;
உய்வ தனைத்திலும் ஒன்றாய் - எங்கும்
ஓர்பொருளானது தெய்வம்.

தீயினைக் கும்பிடும் பார்ப்பார், - நித்தம்
திக்கை வணங்கும் துருக்கர்,
கோவிற் சிலுவையின் முன்னே - நின்று
கும்பிடும் யேசு மதத்தார்.

யாரும் பணிந்திடும் தெய்வம் - பொருள்
யாவினும் நின்றிடும் தெய்வம்,
பாருக்குள்ளே தெய்வம் ஒன்று; - இதில்
பற்பல சண்டைகள் வேண்டாம்"

The weakness of the Tamils and the Indians as a whole, is their wasting of time on Caste & Religious disputes