After being rejected by the IAF, he went through a trying time, where he decided to move on and become a scientist.He began to work tirelessly at his job as the Senior Scientific Assistant at DTDP. Kalam also speaks about his close-knit family and the impact they had on his life. Despite his childhood full of difficulties, he was able to cope because of his highly supportive family. He also speaks briefly about the peaceful co-existence of Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism, in his village. Kalam also talks about Dr. Vikram Sarabhai and the profound impact he had on his life. Kalam also talks about his tag as the “Missile Man”, as well as his unique hairstyle.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam (1931 - 2015) was an author, scientist, and 11th President of India. Some of his literary works include Turning Points: A Journey Through Challenges, Envisioning An Empowered Nation, and India 2020: A Vision For The New Millennium. Born on 15th October 1931, he was raised in Rameshwaram. He finished his schooling from the Rameshwaram Elementary School. Dr Kalam went on to pursue his undergraduate degree in Physics from St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli. He obtained his Master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology. Prior to serving as the President of India, he worked as an aerospace engineer at the Indian Space Research Organization and the Defense Research and Development Organization. He is also known as the Missile Man of India for his immense contributions towards developing ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology. He had been awarded the Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Ramanujan Award, and the Bharat Ratna.