Wings of Fire

 Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

“Let the Latent fire in the heart of every Indian acquire wings and the glory of this country light up the sky”.

Early Life: 

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, the 11^th President of India, was born on 15^th October 1931 in the family of a small boat owner in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.  As a boy, he regularly went for Namaaz with his father, Jainulabdeen. Young Kalam sold newspapers with his cousin, Samsuddin, to supplement his family's income and borrowed books that he could not afford to buy.  His friend Ahmed Jallaluddin, who later became his brother-in-law, motivated him to cross the barriers of an underprivileged social setting and continue to satisfy his quest for knowledge. Many other such common people helped and influenced the poor lad to pursue higher studies, which eventually led him to become a front-runner in India’s space mission. 

Leadership:

Dr. Kalam vividly mentions Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, an industrialist, a great visionary and the creator of India’s indigenous space mission. Dr. Sarabhai was an exemplary leader who kept his team united and motivated towards a common goal. After him, Prof. Satish Dhawan, another great leader, carried on the mission to its implementation. While working with these leaders, Dr. Kalam acquired the traits of a great leader himself. A leader who skillfully delegated tasks to various teams divided as a mix of young talented scientists and experienced campaigners. The team members were being allowed to work with sufficient autonomy to optimize their performance; along with a leader who monitored the proceedings with regular meetings and feedback, so as to implement the project within the limits of time and budget.

Mission:

Handling failures and setbacks positively is significant for any team to succeed in a mission. The ISRO team experienced several failures pertaining to lack of resources and limited funds. Ultimately, in 1980, the nation witnessed the first indigenous Satellite Launch vehicle (SLV-3) being built to launch the satellite Rohini into space for which Dr. Kalam was awarded the Padma Bhushan. After the successful completion of the SLV-3 project, he was transferred from ISRO to DRDL(O) to lead the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP), under the tenure of the then PM, Indira Gandhi. India built 5 different missiles Trishul, Prithvi, Agni, Akash and Nag, as capable as any other missile in the world at that time, without any foreign aid, which was a remarkable achievement in Indian technological history. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan and later, also the highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. Unfortunately, the most significant people in his life weren’t there to share the joy of his honours.

To the critics questioning the huge investment in the IGMDP, for a nation whose people lacked in basic amenities, Dr. Kalam says that technological backwardness leads to subjugation. For instance, in 1991, the Gulf war broke out between Iraq and America led allied forces. The atmosphere around the world was turbulent and posed a threat to our nation, from its not so friendly neighbors. It was only through the development and display of advanced defense systems that this threat could be subdued and any offensive measures could be countered.

Contemplation:

Unlike Science, Technology is the product of a number of different individuals working interdependently towards the achievement of a well defined common goal. The IGMDP and the nuclear tests should not be seen as a display of power, but as the victory of the untiring efforts of the 500+ scientists and the young pool of talent from various academic institutions, who dreamt of making the nation proud to be positioned among the topmost technologically developed nations of the world.

Dr. Kalam mentions how difficult it is to overcome distrust and animosity of envious colleagues. He also argues that instead of people being full of self-defeatist thought patterns and negative behavior, they should be motivated by a freely flowing positive energy like a fire burning inside them. It was this latent fire that each of his team members possessed, without which India would not have made such a glorious advancement in the indigenous development in the field of technology.

Memorable Lines:

1) Don't worry and fret, fainthearted,

    The chances have just begun,

    For the best jobs haven't been started,

    The best work hasn't been done...

2) For all your days prepare,

    And meet them ever alike,

    When you are the anvil, bear,

    When you are the hammer, strike...