DR.A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM was Former President Of India. He was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was also known as the Missile man of India. He made significant contributions to India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 which established him as a national hero. An alumnus of the prestigious Madras Institute of Technology, Kalam began his career as a scientist at the Aeronautical Development Establishment of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). He was later transferred to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) where he served as the project director of India's first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III).
(My favorite quite of DR.APJ ABDUL KALAM)
He was honored with several awards including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, for his contribution to the nation’s space and nuclear programme.He proved to be very popular with the citizens of the country and became known as the “People’s President.
Kalam was honored with the King Charles II Medal by the Royal Society, U.K in 2007.
In 2008, he won the Hoover Medal given by ASME Foundation, USA.
The California Institute of Technology, U.S.A, presented Kalam with the International von Karman Wings Award in the year 2009
Kalam was the proud recipient of honorary doctorates from 40 universities.
In addition to this, Kalam's 79th birthday was recognised as World Students' Day by United Nations
A practicing Muslim, he was also well versed with Hindu traditions and read the Bhagavad Gita
Switzerland has declared May 26 as the Science Day in honour of visiting President APJ Abdul Kalam.