A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Aerospace scientist and 11th President of India
- Lived
- 83 yrs
- 1931 – 2015
- Works listed
- 3
- Autobiography, Book
- Honours
- 3
- Most recent 1997
- Profile views
- 2
- 0 followers
Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was an aerospace scientist who led India’s first satellite launch vehicle and its guided-missile programme, earning the title “Missile Man of India”, before serving as the 11th President from 2002 to 2007. He received the Bharat Ratna in 1997.
Biography
Early life
Kalam grew up in a modest family in the island town of Rameswaram, selling newspapers as a boy. He studied physics at St Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli, and aeronautical engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology.
Rockets and missiles
He joined India’s defence research establishment and then the space programme under Vikram Sarabhai. As project director of SLV-III he oversaw the launch that placed the Rohini satellite in orbit in 1980. Returning to DRDO, he led the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme that produced the Agni and Prithvi missiles, and as scientific adviser played a key role in the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests.
The People’s President
Kalam was elected President in 2002 with wide cross-party support and became known as “the People’s President” for his warmth and his engagement with students. After his term he returned to teaching. He died on 27 July 2015 while delivering a lecture at IIM Shillong. His autobiography Wings of Fire (1999) is one of India’s most widely read books.
Teacher of the nation
Kalam saw himself above all as a teacher. As President he met hundreds of thousands of students and wrote back to letters from children; after leaving office he taught at the IIMs, IISc and Anna University. His books Wings of Fire, India 2020 and Ignited Minds set out a vision of India as a developed nation by 2020 through science, education and self-reliance.
Personal life
Kalam never married and lived simply, famously giving away much of his salary. A vegetarian and a devout Muslim who also read the Bhagavad Gita and played the veena, he was admired across religious and political lines. He was buried with full state honours at Rameswaram, where the Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial was opened in 2017.
Timeline
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1931
Born in Rameswaram, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu)
-
1960
Joins the Aeronautical Development Establishment (DRDO)
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1969
Joins ISRO
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1980
SLV-III launches the Rohini satellite
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1983
Leads the guided missile programme
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1992
Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister
Until 1999.
-
1997
Bharat Ratna
-
1998
Pokhran-II nuclear tests
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2002
President of India
-
2015
Dies in Shillong
While delivering a lecture.
-
2017
National Memorial opens at Rameswaram
-
2015
Died, aged 83
Notable works
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1999
Wings of Fire Autobiography
-
1998
India 2020 Book
-
2002
Ignited Minds Book
Awards and honours
-
Padma Bhushan
1981
-
Padma Vibhushan
1990
-
Bharat Ratna
1997
Did you know?
-
1
As a boy he sold newspapers to help his family.
-
2
He played the veena and read widely across faiths.
-
3
He died doing what he loved — giving a lecture to students.
Gallery
Connections
Related people
-
Vikram Sarabhai
Science · Physicist and father of India’s space programme
Mentor
-
Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Politics & Leadership · Tenth Prime Minister of India and a founder of the Bharatiya Janata Party
Prime Minister during his presidency
-
Manmohan Singh
Politics & Leadership · Thirteenth Prime Minister of India (2004–2014) and architect of the 1991 reforms
Prime Minister during his presidency
Also born on 15 October
Frequently asked
Who is A. P. J. Abdul Kalam?
Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was an aerospace scientist who led India’s first satellite launch vehicle and its guided-missile programme, earning the title “Missile Man of India”, before serving as the 11th President from 2002 to 2007. He received the Bharat Ratna in 1997.
When did A. P. J. Abdul Kalam die?
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam died on 27 July 2015 at the age of 83.
Where is A. P. J. Abdul Kalam from?
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was born in Rameswaram, Madras Presidency (now Tamil Nadu).
What is A. P. J. Abdul Kalam known for?
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam is best known for India’s satellite launch vehicle and missile programmes; “the People’s President”; Wings of Fire.
What awards has A. P. J. Abdul Kalam received?
Notable honours include Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990), Bharat Ratna (1997).
References
- A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Goodreads author page. Goodreads. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Official website. www.abdulkalam.nic.in. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (Q9513) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/a-p-j-abdul-kalam
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