Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam (1931-2015), Image: Saptarshi Ghosh; via Wikimedia Commons
Today, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former president of India and an accomplished scientist, but over and above all one of the finest human beings that I have been able to observe in the public domain, died of a cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture at IIM Shillong. In the coming October, he would have turned 84.
It is, most certainly, a great loss for the Indian society at large, for Dr. Kalam was a great inspiration for the children and the youth of the country, and, in my opinion, a role model not just for India, but well beyond its geographic borders. Even though he is often known for his work on the defence-related technologies, he himself felt best, when benefits of the space technology could be brought to the common man; see, e.g. his book “Ignited Minds” (2002, Penguin Books, p. 54). In this same book on p. 16 he states:
“However, when children ask me, ‘What has given you happiness in your life in the last forty years?’ I say I get happiness when heart patients carry KR coronary stent in their arteries and when the physically handicapped children fitted with the lightweight Floor Reaction Orthosis (FRO) callipers find their difficulties eased somewhat. Both of these came as spin-offs from missile technologies.”#
What is also remarkable about Dr. Kalam is his life beyond science. Behind a scientist there was the personality of a sage, a spiritual person, judging from his writings. For example:
“I have learned over the years to maintain my equanimity regardless of circumstances. I have faced failures and disappointments without feeling defeated. I wish to live the rest of my life at peace with myself and others. I have no wish to engage in quarrels with others.”
Words of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam in his book “Ignited Minds” (p. 93); words that indicate to me an individual with great wisdom, serenity and tranquility. Even though I never had any occasion to interact with him, much less to see him in person, I have always felt a great respect and affection for him; not merely for his contribution to the nation and the society at large, but even more so for his “being” what he was, a human being of unassuming personality despite his many achievements, remarkable autheniticy, unparalleled simplicity and inner wisdom.
Therefore, in case of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam it appears strangely pretentious to myself when I try to call out a “Rest in Peace” to him. For, as far as I could judge it, he was always at peace with himself. I only can gather myself to wish him a “good bye” and “all the best” on a journey to the unknown….
धर्माधर्मौ सुखं दुखं मानसानि न ते विभो ।
न कर्तासि न भोक्तासि मुक्त एवासि सर्वदा ।।
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Notes
# Apparently, he was referring to the “Kalam-Raju coronary stent”, which was “[…] devised by him with the cardiologist Soma Raju, using missile parts, which brought the price of a stent down from some two and a half lakh rupees to a mere 10,000”, as I discovered in this insightful homage by Shashi Tharoor in The New India Express (July 29, 2015, retrieved: Aug. 3, 2015).