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). He was intimately involved in India's civilian space programme and military missile development efforts.
Kalam was born on 15 October 1931, to a Tamil Muslim family in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. He was the youngest of four brothers and one sister. His father was a boat owner and imam of a local mosque, and his mother was a housewife.
Kalam studied physics and aerospace engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology, graduating in 1958. He then joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), where he worked on a variety of projects, including the development of the Prithvi missile.
n 1969, Kalam joined the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), where he played a key role in the development of the SLV-3 rocket, which launched India's first satellite, Aryabhata, into orbit in 1975. He also oversaw the development of the PSLV rocket, which is used to launch satellites into low Earth orbit.
Kalam was appointed as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of India in 1992. In this role, he was responsible for advising the government on scientific and technological matters. He also played a key role in the development of India's nuclear weapons program.
Kalam was elected as the President of India in 2002. He was the first scientist to be elected to the presidency. As president, Kalam focused on promoting science and technology, education, and social welfare. He also worked to improve relations between India and other countries.
Kalam died on 27 July 2015, at the age of 83. He was a popular and respected figure in India, and his death was mourned by millions of people
Kalam was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1997. He was also awarded the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, India's second and third highest civilian awards, in 1981 and 1990, respectively.