Remembering Dr APJ Abdul Kalam: Lesser known facts about the 'Missile Man'

Born on October 15, 1931, in Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram, Kalam studied physics and aerospace engineering and came to be known for his contribution to the world of science and humanity

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At the age of five, Kalam started selling newspapers to help his father support the family. He did this job in the evenings after school. He used to collect newspapers thrown out of the Dhanush Kodi Mail train and become the first one to distribute them to the town of Rameswaram.

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When Dr Kalam was working at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), he rejected a proposal to place broken glass pieces on the walls of the institution to prevent break-ins. Kalam feared broken glass might hurt birds that perched on the walls.

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For former President APJ Abdul Kalam, becoming a fighter pilot was a “dearest dream” — one that he failed to realise by a whisker. Kalam bagged the ninth position among 25 candidates and was not recruited, since only eight slots were available.

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Dr Kalam donated his entire salary to a trust – PURA (Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Areas) – that he had founded. He said that the government would take care of him till his last breath as he became the President of India, so there was no harm in donating his full salary.

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After being elected as the President of India, Dr Kalam was invited to an event at Kerala’s Raj Bhavan. He was given an opportunity to invite any two people as his special guests to the event. He invited a cobbler, who sew people’s shoes on the pavement, and a hotel owner, who ran a small hotel in Kerala. They were both close to him during the time he spent in Thiruvananthapuram