Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam : An Unforgettable Teacher

First and foremost, I will love teaching. Teaching will be my soul.

Untitled-2Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam known as the ‘Missile Man of India’ was the 11th President from 2002 to 2007. He was born on October 15, 1931 at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu.

He was a great mind, a great scientist, a great professor and a true Indian; the country’s most celebrated aerospace and defense scientist and a teacher forever. Dr. Kalam always used to say he would like to be remembered as a teacher. When he became the President in 2002, he made no compromise on his penchant for teaching. He grabbed every opportunity to teach students, especially children, wherever he went. Administering a pledge on national development to the youth was his passion.
He says “Teaching is a very noble profession that shapes the character, calibre and future of an individual…youth have a dream and also they have a pain. The pain comes out of their dream; they want to live in a prosperous, happy and peaceful India. This type of student’s environment ignites me and leads me to interact with young minds,”

Dr. Kalam knew that we are one of the youngest nations in the world. He knew that every country wanted young talent from India and always looked for ways to retain our true wealth. He believed that only the youth of India could bring about a real change in the nation.

“I was a teacher earlier, and I am a teacher again,”

On the occasion of ‘Teachers Day’ on September 5, 2013, the former President said: “If the people remember me as a good teacher, that will be the biggest honour for me.”

Minutes before his end came, Mr. Kalam was teaching students at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong.