APJ Abdul Kalam

  

( Summary of a book-review of the book “WINGS  OF  FIRE”, the autobiography of APJ Abdul Kalam, Rocket Engineer, Missile Scientist, Ex-President of India, and a Bharat Ratna.  Reviewer: Dr. Krishna Gutala.  At ICC Cupertino on 16^th January 2015 )

         [This Autobiography by this eminent Son of India, has been named by him as ‘Wings of Fire’. Why he named it so, can be revealed in his own words: “Every individual creature on this beautiful planet, is created by God to fulfill a particular role. Whatever I have achieved in life is thru His help, as an expression of His will….. We are all born with a Divine Fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this Fire, and fill the world with the glow of its Goodness”.  “Let the latent fire in the heart of every Indian acquire wings, and the glory of this great country light up the sky”.

          Much learning and wisdom can be accrued by reading, hearing and knowing about Celebrities, especially those that started their voyage with humble beginnings. One such was Abdul Kalam. One more significant thing about him was, at intellectual level he was a giant, but at the heart a saint]

          Avul Pakir Jainulabuddin Abdul Kalam, the five words in sequence, represent his great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and his own name. Born on 15^th October 1931, he was the son of a little educated boat-owner of the temple-town of Rameswaram, in extreme south of Tamil Nadu state. His father had neither much formal education, nor much wealth, but possessed great innate wisdom, and a true generosity of spirit, honesty and self-discipline. He had an ideal helpmate in Kalam’s mother Ashiamma, a very generous lady with faith in goodness, and deep kindness.

          Kalam had two brothers and one sister by name Zohra. They lived in an ancestral house, a large pucca house in Mosque Street in Rameswaram. They had a modest living, without luxuries.

          The chief priest of the Rameswaram Temple, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, was a close friend of his father. The two in their respective traditional attires, often used to meet and discuss spiritual matters. Once, when young Kalam asked his father why people pray, he was told: “When you pray, you transcend your body, and become part of Cosmos which knows no division of wealth, age, caste, creed or religion”. “Feel convinced that there exists a Divine Power that can lift one up from confusion, misery, melancholy and failure, and guide one to one’s true place. And once an individual severs his emotional and physical bondage, he is on the road to freedom, happiness and peace of mind”.

          When Kalam was of six years, his father embarked on building a boat to transport pilgrims from Rameswaram to Dhanushkodi and back. He was taking the help of a local contractor, by name Ahmed Jalaluddin, who later married Kalam’s sister Zohra.  Jalaluddin used to talk about God as though He was a working Partner! He would present all his doubts to God, as though God was standing nearby, to clear them. He used to talk to young Kalam about educated people, scientific discoveries, achievements in medical science etc., to inspire young Kalam.

          Another person who influenced young Kalam was his first cousin by name Shamsuddin, who used to sell newspapers to the elite in Rameswaram.

          After finishing early schooling in Rameswaram, Kalam, desirous of continuing studies, had to go to Ramanathapuram, the district HQRs, where he attended the Schwartz High School.  After completing High School, he went to St. Joseph’s College, Trichy, for College studies. After his B.Sc there, he wanted to take up Engineering studies, and applied to MIT in Madras, a famous Institution at that time. He secured admission, but had to pay thousand rupees fees, which his father could not afford. However, his sister helped him by mortgaging her gold bangles, for the needed amount.

          After the first year of Engineering course at MIT, he opted for the branch of Aeronautical Engineering, after the completion of which, he went to HAL in Bangalore for training. After graduating as an Aeronautical Engineer, he began trials for a job. He applied for two placements. One was a career in Indian Air Force. The other was in Directorate of Technical Development and Production in Government of India. He narrowly missed the first, but was selected for the latter, as a Senior Scientific Asst, with a basic salary of Rs. 250/- per month. This was in 1958.

          In course of time, he applied for the post of Rocket Engineer (more in line of his qualification) in INCOSPAR i.e., Indian Committee for Space Research. He was selected, and posted to Rocket Launching Station, newly started at Thumba, near Trivandrum in Kerala. Subsequently, the Chief of the Organization, Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, picked him up for the Development Project of RATO (Rocket Assisted Take Off) used in helping take-off of military aircraft. Subsequently was conceived ‘SLV’ (Satellite Launch Vehicle) project, and, in Andhra Pradesh, the Srihari Kota Launch Station (SHAR) came into being. Then came the next development in 1968 when the Indian Rocket Society was formed, and, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) created, under the DAE (Dept of Atomic Energy).

          On December 30^th 1971, a calamity occurred. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, the great pioneer of space research in India, suddenly expired. He was very much associated with the SLV-3 Project at Thumba. It was a great loss to India, especially in the field of Space research and development.  Abdul  Kalam called him the ‘Mahatma Gandhi of Indian Science’. Then, Satish Dhawan succeeded him as ISRO  Chief.

           At Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC, named in memory of Vikram Sarabhai) at Thumba, Abdul Kalam was appointed Project Manager of the SLV-3 Project (Satellite Launch Vehicle-3) by the then Director Dr. Brahma Prakash. This Rocket had 250 sub-assemblies, 44 major sub-systems, and over one million components. The project progressed well under the Project leader Abdul Kalam. However, in 1975, a personal loss to Kalam occurred when his brother-in-law and mentor Jalaluddin expired. He rushed to Rameswaram to console his sister Zohra.  Then in 1976 Kalam’s father passed away at an age of 102, leaving behind his wife, 4 children, 15 grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

          During the time when Kalam was just recovering from the loss of the above two family members, the SLV-3 Apogee Rocket was to be flight-tested in France, and he was scheduled to go there. Just then he received the shocking news that his mother passed away (within a few months of his father’s demise), and he had to again rush to Rameswaram, but quickly returned to Thumba. The three deaths in his family, in quick succession, were a blow to Abdul Kalam, to overcome which, he plunged more deeply into his work, with total commitment and single-minded devotion.

           The first experimental flight-trial of SLV-3 was scheduled for 10^th August 1979. The 25 meters long, four-stage Rocket weighing 17 tons took off well, but soon went out of control, and plunged into sea some 560 km off Srihari Kota. There was great disappointment. Dr. Brahma Prakash consoled Kalam, and a post-flight review was conducted by 70 scientists, to find out the cause of the mishap. Subsequently, the defects were rectified. On 18^th July 1980, the SLV-3 Rocket lifted off as expected, and the stage-4 gave the Rohini Satellite enough velocity to enter its due orbit. There was jubilation and excitement in the whole nation. India then had acquired Satellite Launch capability.  Prime Minister Indira Gandhi cabled her congratulations for the success. After this fulfilled mission, Kalam desired to be relieved from VSSC Organization.

          To go back a little, at the time when Kalam was appointed Project Manager of SLV-3 Project at Thumba, at that time itself, another Organization for Defense Research was established at Hyderabad, with Air Commodore Narayanan as Director. The Organization was named DRDL (Defense Research and Development Laboratories). When Kalam wanted to be relieved from VSSC, a move came to make him Director of DRDL at Hyderabad, to ensure an accelerated growth of that Organization, under the dynamic leadership of Kalam.  The decision towards this was finally taken in February 1982 by the Govt of India. Kalam made his first visit to DRDL in April 1982 to appraise himself of the activities there.

           Meanwhile the achievements of Kalam received due recognition and rewards. On Republic Day of 1981, Abdul Kalam received the Padma Bhushan national award from Govt of India. (At same time, Satish Dhawan, Head of ISRO, received Padma Vibhushan).  It is said that Kalam was so happy that he filled his room with echoes of Bismillah Khan’s  shehnai music. He was indeed interested in music, and even had a Veena. A little later in 1982, he was conferred with Honorary Doctorate by the Anna University, Madras, 20 years after he acquired his degree in Aeronautical Engineering from that very University.

         Abdul Kalam became Director of DRDL, Hyderabad, on 01 June 1982. He was then 51. On closer observation, he found that the general mood and work tempo, were far from satisfactory, due to some frustration consequent of the winding up of some earlier projects under investigation.  Abdul Kalam felt the need of a breath of fresh air. He started inviting people from IISc (Bangalore), all the IITs, CSIR, TIFR, and other noted Institutions. He opened the windows wide, and let in the light of scientific talent begin to pour in. He formed within DRDL a high-level body called “Missile Technology Committee”. Deliberations for weeks finally culminated in the long term “Guided Missile Development Program” (GMDP). He said “Know where you are going. The great thing in the world is not knowing so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving forward”.  

           A detailed proposal in this connection was submitted to Govt of India. After detailed consideration, the Union Cabinet approved it, and a sumptuous amount of Rs 3880 millions was sanctioned. Thus was born India’s prestigious “Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP)”. Under this, the following five programs were conceived:

1. Surface-to-Surface Weapon System (Prithvi)       
2. Tactical Core Vehicle  (Trishul)        
3. Surface-to-Air Defense System  (Akash)         
4. Anti-Tank Missile  (Nag)         
5. Re-Entry  Experiment Launch Vehicle  (Agni).

         The above five Projects were inaugurated at DRDL on 27^th July 1983. This launch of IGMDP was like a bright flash on the Indian scientific firmament. However, getting sanction for the Programs was barely 10% of the work. The rest had to follow. But one thing was decided. Nothing be expected from abroad; everything be totally indigenous. The first step was in picking up, after careful scrutiny, capable proper Project Directors for the above five Programs. This was accomplished by Abdul Kalam himself. Next, to facilitate broad discussions and consideration from various angles, a Science Council was created. A sort of ‘Panchayat’ where the community would sit together and take common decisions by consensus.  Every three months, all Scientists – juniors and seniors, veterans and freshers – would sit together and let off steam. These five projects progressed well. ‘Prithvi’ was launched in February 1988. Next was taken up Kalam’s pet project ‘Agni’. The Agni team comprised of over 500 scientists. Many Organizations were networked for it.

           ‘Agni’ launch was scheduled for 20^th April 1989. This was to be an unprecedented exercise. People living in nearby villages were to be moved for safety during the launch, for which, compensation had to be paid. However, due to some technical snags, the launch had to be aborted. The missile had to be opened up to replace the on-board power supplies. Needed rectifications were however made. The next launch was scheduled for 01^st May 1989, but again the launch had to be postponed. No wonder that the media was up in arms, for these failures, and afforded scope for loose talk. The media and common folks made jokes of these repeated failures. Here are some examples: 1. A cartoon sketching a shopkeeper returning a product to the salesman saying ‘Like ‘Agni’ it would not take off’.  2. A villager counting some currency notes, saying ‘Yes, this is compensation for moving away from my hut near the test site.  A few more postponements, and I can build a house of my own!’  3. A cartoon designating Agni as ‘ IDBM --- Intermittently Delayed Ballistic Missile’.  4. Amul’s  cartoon suggesting that what Agni needed to do was to use their ‘butter’ as fuel! 

          Finally, after all those failures and rectifications, when the launch was fixed for 22^nd May 1989, Agni missile followed a textbook trajectory, and was a perfect launch. It was one of the greatest moments in the life of Abdul Kalam. He exclaimed ‘What a fantastic culmination to our labor of love!’, and wrote in his diary:

          “Do not look at Agni   as an entity directed upward

            To deter the ominous or exhibit your might;

            It is the Fire in the heart of an Indian.

            Do not even give it the form of a missile,

            As it clings to the burning pride of this nation,

            And thus is bright”.

        Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi called Agni launch “a major achievement in our efforts to safeguard our independence and security…. The country is proud of your efforts”. President Venkatraman cabled: “It is a tribute to your dedication, hard work and talent”.

        On Republic Day 1990, the nation celebrated the success of its Missile  Program. Abdul Kalam and Dr. Arunachalam were conferred with awards of Padma Vibhushan.  In 1990, Jadavpur University conferred on Abdul Kalam Honorary Doctorate in Science. In 1991, he received Honorary Doctorate in Science from IIT Bombay. The same year he turned Sixty, on October 15^th and had to retire.  

          On retirement, he and his friend Prof. P. Rama Rao, who was heading the Dept of Science and Technology in Govt of India, wished to establish a School, by name ‘Rao-Kalam’ School. But they had to postpone their plan, as neither was relieved by the Govt of India. Besides this, he decided to write his autobiography, to put down his memories, and express his observations and opinions on certain issues. What he wanted to say was that no one, however poor, under-privileged or small, need feel disheartened about life. Problems are a part of life. Suffering is the essence of success. He wished to restate what someone said:  

          “God has not promised skies always blue,

            Flower-strewn pathways all our life through;

            God has not promised Sun without rain,

            Joy without sorrow, Peace without pain.

            But God has promised Strength for the day,

            Rest for the labor, and Light for the way”.

           Abdul Kalam states:  “I will not be presumptuous enough to say that my life can be a role-model for anybody.  But, some poor child living in an obscure place, in an underprivileged social setting, may find a little solace in the way my destiny has been shaped. It could perhaps help such children liberate themselves from the bondage of their illusory backwardness and hopelessness.  Irrespective of where they are right now, they could be aware that God is with them; when He is with them, who can be against them?”

           Again, in his characteristic humility, he states:  “I am not a philosopher. I am only a man of technology. I spent all my life learning rocketry. But as I worked with a very large cross-section of people in different organizations, I had an opportunity to understand the phenomenon of professional life, in its bewildering complexity…… The story of a scientist tested by failures and setbacks; the story of a leader supported by a large team of brilliant and dedicated professionals”.

                   “I am a well in this great land

                     Looking at its millions of  boys and girls –

                     To draw from me the inexhaustible divinity,

                     And spread His Grace everywhere

                     As does the water drawn from a well”.

(Abdul Kalam was conferred with the highest Civilian Award of India, the  “Bharat Ratna” in 1997.  Apart from all the Honors and Awards bestowed on him, Abdul Kalam was elevated to the highest pedestal,  the First Citizen of India, as the President in 2002, and served in that capacity till 2007).

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[Thus ends the brief summary of the book-review presentation by Krishna M. Gutala  of the book “Wings  of  Fire”,  an  Auto-biography by APJ Abdul Kalam with Arun Tiwari (who worked under the former, for about ten years, and subsequently penned the narrations of this book)]