Paying tribute to former President APJ Abdul Kalam on his 84th birthday on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the scientific community, especially youngsters, to come up with innovations to ease the common man’s life, drawing inspiration from Kalam who had built great institutions from scratch. Often referred to as India’s “missile man,” Kalam died in July this year.
The Prime Minister unveiled Kalam’s bust at Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) headquarters and announced that a memorial to inspire young generation will be built at Rameswaram, the late President’s birthplace. The Government has already acquired land for the memorial and a committee of Ministers set up to discuss modalities in this regard, he said. The city is also designated Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) city.
Speaking on the occasion, Modi said innovation was essential in fields like cyber-security, housing for all, river-linking, enhancing agricultural productivity, blue economy, and ‘zero-defect, zero-effect’ manufacturing.
Describing Kalam as a “Rashtra-ratna” before being a “Rashtrapati,” Modi said the former President always looked for “challenges” and his life is a source of inspiration for all Indians. The Prime Minister said while most people look for opportunities in life, Kalam always sought fresh challenges to overcome. He recalled how he worked closely with Kalam during the post-earthquake reconstruction work in Kutch.
Mentioning that Kalam wished to be remembered as a teacher, Modi said the former President was well aware of the importance of nurturing future generations. Kalam had not only risen from humble beginnings to the highest office in India, but had also built great institutions, virtually from scratch the Prime Minister said adding everyone should draw inspiration from his example. Modi said Kalam had child-like qualities and he always made sure to interact with youngsters and to inspire them.