A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Biography, Age, Wife, Family, Death and More

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Biography

About

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th president of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied physics and aerospace engineering. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in India's civilian space programme and military missile development efforts. He thus came to be known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology. He also played a pivotal organisational, technical, and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.

Kalam was elected as the 11th president of India in 2002 with the support of both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the then-opposition Indian National Congress. Kalam wrote several books, including an autobiography, Wings of Fire (1999). Among his numerous awards were two of the country’s highest honours, the Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the Bharat Ratna (1997).

Bio

Name	Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
Nickname	Missile Man, People's President
Profession	Aerospace Scientist, Professor and Author

Physical Stats

Approx. Height	163 in centimeters (1.63 in meters and 5 feet 4 inch)
Approx. Weight	60Kg (132 lbs)
Eye Color	Black
Hair Color	Grey

Personal Life

Date of Birth	15th October 1931
Date of Death	27th July 2015
Place of Death	Shillong, Meghalaya, India
Death Cause	Cardiac Arrest (Stroke)
Resting Place	Pei Karumbu, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India
Zodiac Sign	Libra
Birth Place	Rameswaram, Ramnad District, Madras Presidency, Tamil Nadu, India
Hometown	Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India
College	St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
School	Schwartz Higher Secondary School, Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu, India
Educational Qualification	Bachelor of Science in Physics from Saint Joseph's College, the University of Madras in 1954, A Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology in 1960
Religion	Islam
Ethnicity	Tamil Muslim
Hobbies	Playing Veena, Delivering Motivational Lectures, Listening to Indian Classical Music and Walking
Honours/Awards	1981: Padma Bhushan by the Government of India, 1990: Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India, 1997: Bharat Ratna by the Government of India, 1998: Veer Savarkar Award by the Government of India, 2007: King Charles II Medal by Royal Society, UK, 2009: Hoover Medal by ASME Foundation, USA, 2013: Von Braun Award by National Space Society, 2014: Doctor of Science by Edinburgh University, UK
Famous Books	1998: India 2020, 1999: Wings Of Fire, 2002: Ignited Minds, 2006: Indomitable Spirit, 2012: Turning Points
Nationality	India

About Family

Father	Jainulabiddin Marakayar
Mother	Ashiamma Jainulabiddin
Brother	Kasim Mohammed, Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar, Mustafa Kamal
Eldest Sister	Asim Zohra

Favorite

Favourite Subject	Mathematics and Physics
Food	Rice and Sambar with Coconut Chutney

Some facts about Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

1	He was born to a Tamil Muslim family in Rameswaram
2	He was the youngest of 4 brothers and one sister in his family
3	Kalam was just 10 years old when the Second World War was going on
4	Kalam had a great interest in books. He used to borrow books from one of his brother’s friends in his locality.
5	While at the DRDO in 1965, Kalam had started work on an expandable rocket project independently
6	Raja Ramanna invited Kalam to witness India’s 1st nuclear test "Smiling Buddha" even though Kalam had not participated in its development.
7	In 2002, he succeeded K. R. Narayanan to become the 11th President of India.
8	Kalam was also the first bachelor and the first scientist to occupy the "Rashtrapati Bhawan".
9	In 2011, a Hindi Film “I Am Kalam” was released in which Kalam was portrayed as a positive influence on a poor-bright Rajasthani boy named "Chhotu".
10	Kalam was very close to his mother, and he described his affection for his mother in a poem written by him in his autobiography, Wings Of Fire