Former President APJ Abdul Kalam passes away

Kalam was in Shillong to deliver a lecture to the students of IIM

Former president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam died in Shillong on Monday evening after being admitted to a private hospital here in Meghalaya in a critical condition.

Kalam, who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007, collapsed at the Indian Institute of Management-Shillong while delivering a lecture to the students of the B-school.

"The former president was brought almost dead to our hospital," John Sailo Ryntathiang, director of Bethany Hospital, said.

According to sources, the former President collapsed around 6.30 pm and was taken to the hospital. He died around 7.30 pm, hospital sources said.

This is what Kalam tweeted just before leaving for Shillong.

"It is a terrible loss to the country," says A S Kiran Kumar, chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation. Kalam, who is the chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Technology, Isro's education arm to groom new talent, was keen to know the progress on Isro's rockets. Kalam was the project manager for the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV), among India's first rockets, which is the precursor to the current generation of rockets such as PSLV and GSLV.

"He wanted an update on the GSLV MkIII and was very happy with the progress," said Kumar, who met Kalam during his last visit to Bengaluru.
 

Former Isro Chairman K Radhakrishnan said: "It is a great loss for the country and he was our colleague in ISRO from the 60s and he was a project director SLV III, the first Satellite Launch Vehicle project and that was the turning point for the country. And his connect with all the people in the organisation was something which is to be emulated and he was able to motivate everybody in the country. One single person who has taken all the people in a path which wanted for the future of the country - that is his greatness."

Kota Harinarayana, chief designer of TEJAS, the light contact aircraft, said: "Kalam was always positive.  He had no negative feelings with anybody." Kalam was kota's boss for seven years as Director General, Aeronautical Development Agency.

A M Naik, chairman, L&T, said: "Dr Abdul Kalam, India's 'Missile Man' was a scientist and technocrat who endeared himself to all, and was ranked among India's best loved presidents. We at L&T are proud to have been closely associated with him in developing India's space and nuclear programs. On a personal note, I was very honoured that Dr Kalam came to Mumbai a couple of months ago and handed me a unique memento on my completing 50 years in L&T. His inspiring address on the occasion will be remembered by every L&T employee. The nation will remember Dr Kalam as one of India's finest Presidents."

N R Narayana Murthy, Infosys co-founder, said: "President Kalam was a true patriot and a statesman. As President he connected with and inspired so many people, particularly youngsters across the country. At a personal level, he was a very simple, kind, and genuine man - a great role model for our country. I had known him for nearly two decades and I join the country in mourning this loss."

Dr Y S Rajan, a friend of Kalam for 50 years, who have jointly written three books, said: "It was “typical of Kalam” that he worked till his last day."

In 1998, Kalam and Rajan wrote a blockbuster India 2020: A vision for the new millennium, a book that talked of a developed India by 2020. His wish, Rajan said, will not be fulfilled due to various factors, including the neglect of manufacturing and obsession of India in services.

Rajan, who is younger to Kalam by over 12 years, met Kalam when he was a science research fellow at the Vikram Sarabhai Research Centre in Ahmedabad. Both worked at Isro.

In October 2014, both friends wrote the book - Beyond 2020 - A vision for tomorrow’s India, which identifies with data the mistakes of the past and steps that India should take the country forward in the next two decades.

“We have done our job,” Rajan recalled Kalam, as saying after finishing the book. “If we all commit to achieve what he has set, it will be the best tribute to the great school.”

J Jayalalithaa, chief minister, Tamil Nadu, said: "It was with profound grief and sorrow that I learnt of the sudden demise of the distinguished Eleventh President of India, great inspirational scientist and a beloved son of Tamil Nadu, Bharat Ratna APJ Abdul Kalam. Former President Kalam was one of the greatest public figures of post Independence India. Starting from a very humble background, born into a poor family in Rameshwaram, President Kalam rose to the greatest heights through dint of sheer perseverance, hard work and brilliance."

"His contributions to India's space, missile and nuclear programmes are well known. A visionary scientist, he gave India the pride of place on  the global stage of space technology and research.He reinforced India's stature as a responsible and self reliant nuclear power," she said.

"He led the Satellite Launch Vehicle Development team in the Indian Space Research Organisation. He led the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme of the Defence Research Development Organisation with great success," she said.

"He has been a great source of inspiration for the people of this country and in particular for children and students. He wrote and spoke with great felicity for all Indians and the youth in particular.  He became a great youth icon. He touched everyone with his simplicity and grace. He was a true patriot who placed the interests of the country above all else.  His mind was full of ideas for harnessing technology for the benefit of the rural poor," she further added.

"I join the people of India and of Tamil Nadu in deeply mourning his passing away," she said.

Jamshyd Godrej, chairman, Godrej & Boyce, said: "His vision for India had no boundaries and challenges in our nuclear program and space program were approached with a can do attitude! He was an inspiration to me to take on technical challenges that seemed insurmountable! His humility and life story were an inspiration for a generation of young people."