Former President and Missile Man of India Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, a visionary scientist and former President of India, is renowned for his significant contributions to aerospace and defence technologies. However, not many know that he once missed a crucial opportunity to join the Indian Air Force.
This incident in his life played a pivotal role in shaping his destiny and inspiring him to achieve greatness in other spheres. Read further to know about the whole incident of how Dr. Kalam met his Guru after this failure and found a new purpose for his life.
A Tale from Sivananda Ashram
Sadhus at the Sivananda Ashram, a little farther up the hill from Rishikesh, will tell you a tale about APJ Abdul Kalam that few have heard.
In extreme despair, Kalam boarded a bus to Rishikesh and made his way to the banks of the Ganga after failing the Dehradun Air Force pilot interview where he placed ninth and the eight others were chosen. That would later prove to be one of Kalam’s most pivotal experiences. In his words, he “stood at the edge of a cliff with a lake below.” It was 1957, and his childhood goal of flying a fighter plane had been crushed. Then, while he pondered the course of his life, Kalam met a man he called the “Guru of my Life.”
Swami Sivananda approached the man who would go on to become one of India’s most beloved presidents and inquired of him as to the cause of his grief. Following that, Sivananda gave Kalam his life mantra: “Defeat the defeatist tendency.”
In his book, Kalam described the occurrence and said, “When the student is ready, the teacher will emerge – How true! A pupil who had almost gotten lost was given direction by the teacher here.
Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam’s Path Of Education And Achievements
What was Kalam told by Sivananda?
“Accept your fate and continue living your life. It is not your destiny to fly for the Air Force. Although it is already predetermined, what you are meant to become is not yet known. Forget this setback because it was necessary for you to arrive at your intended course. Instead, look for the real meaning behind your existence. My kid, unite with yourself! Give yourself over to God’s will.”
How does Kalam share this Experience?
In 1941, while learning about bird flight, Kalam made the decision to study aeronautical science. Later, after earning his aeronautical engineering degree from the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), he began working as a trainee with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru.
In his book “Wings of Fire”, the former president recalls receiving two calls for interviews at this time, one from the Air Force recruitment office in Dehradun and the other from the Directorate of Technical Development and Production (DTD & P-Air) of the Ministry of Defence in Delhi. He made the decision to appear in both. After the first one in Delhi went smoothly, he continued on to Dehradun.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam: Remembering The Missile Man Of India
Kalam Says, “I was excited but nervous, determined but anxious, confident but tense. I could finish ninth in the batch of 25 examined to select eight officers for commissioning in the Air Force. I was deeply disappointed. It took me some time to comprehend that the opportunity to join the Air Force had just slipped through my fingers.”
Journey towards being “The Missile Man of India”
Following his encounter with the guru, Kalam proceeded to Delhi where he received an appointment letter and joined DTD&P-Air as a senior scientific assistant in 1958. He accepted his fate and no longer harboured any animosity or resentment over not being able to join the AirForce. Thus the Missile man’s adventure began.
Later, from 2002 to 2007, he was India’s 11th president. He worked as a scientist and scientific administrator for the following four decades, mostly at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). He was heavily involved in both India’s efforts to build military missiles and its civilian space programme. As a result of his contributions to the advancement of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology, he earned the moniker “Missile Man of India.” Additionally, he was crucial in the organisation, technical, and political aspects of India’s 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear testing, the country’s first since its initial nuclear test in 1974.
He embodied intelligence, wisdom, and simplicity. He was affectionately known as the “people’s president” and “The Missile Man of India,” and his principles are still an inspiration to us all.
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