Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), 122
court cases, arrears of, 37-40
Dabur, 75
Deendayal Research Institute (DRI), 115
Defence Institute of Work Study (DIWS), 18
Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), 19, 70, 80
Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), 19, 20, 22, 71, 79, 122
Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), 20, 21
Deshmukh, Nanaji, 112, 115
developmental politics, 49-50
Dhawan, Dr Satish, 18, 19, 70
Drexler, Dr K. Eric, 84
e-governance, 6, 29-30, 56, 74, 75, 97, 129
e-judiciary, 38, 39
effective treaty oversight in place, 151
Emergency Trauma Management Programme, 147
energy independence, 35, 45, 46, 75, 97, 99, 147, 158
Energy Independence Bill, 54
European Parliament, address to, 45, 98-102
Focus Africa, 98
Fontelles, Josep Borrell, 98
Fukushima crisis, 146
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, 139
Gandhi, Indira, 80
Gandhi, Sonia, 12, 129
Gatton College of Business and Economics, 139
Global Competitiveness Index, 77
Global Innovation Index, 77
Gowda, H.D. Deve, 20, 22, 70, 72
grade system, 46
GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product), 144
Guiding Soul, 120
Gujral, I.K., 22, 70
Haj pilgrimage, 62-65
Harvard University, 84
Hindustan Times, The, 67
Hindustan Times–Hindustan U.P. Development Conclave, 143
Hongkun Park, Prof., 84
hovercraft (Nandi), 17
ICT (Information and Communication Technology), 38, 39, 83
IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme), 10, 79-81
Ignited Minds, 24, 102
IIM Ahmedabad, 139
IIM Indore, 139
IIT Kharagpur, 139
Ilango, P., 89
Imam Nurul Khuda, 14
Immortal Hut, 120
India 2020, 102
India 2020 vision, 12, 22, 24, 26, 59, 139, 157
Indian Committee for Space Research (ICSR), 17
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), 122
Indian Military Academy, 107
Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), 17, 18, 19, 77, 82
Indiresan, P.V., 111
Indomitable Spirit, 119
INS Sindhurakshak, 41
Institute of Technology Management, Mussoorie, 18
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 145
Internet Courts, 39
Jainulabdeen, Janab Avul Pakir, 59
Jatropha curcas, 46
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, 74
Jayakumar, I., 89
Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), 131
Kafka, Franz, 87
Kalam, A.P.J. Abdul,
addresses to the nation, 6, 44-47, 55
addresses to Parliament, 33-35, 148-58
address to parliamentarians, 48-54
addresses to twelve state assemblies, 55
after demitting office, 139-47
breakfast meetings, 30-33
career, 17-25
decision making, 125-36
helicopter crash, 23-24
interactions with PMs, 70-72
mission orientation, 25
nuclear tests, 10, 20-21, 159
role as president, 28
Kalam’s schedule, 141-43
Kalanidhi, Prof. A., 10
Kathrada, Ahmed, 104
Koodankulam nuclear plant, 146-47
Kore, Tatya Saheb, 112
Kumar, Nitish, 106
Kumar post 40, 41
Lal, Sunil, and Gitanjali and Nitika, 2
Left parties, 12
Leonard, Rev. A.G., 14
Light Combat Aircraft, naval variant, 83
Lincoln, Abraham, 89
Lok Adalats, 37
Long Walk to Freedom, 104
Long Wheeler Island, 80
Loni PURA, 112
Mahajan, Pramod, 13, 14
Mahatma Gandhi, 35, 93, 109
Malayala Manorama, 56
Mandela, Dr Nelson, 103-04
Manekshaw, Field Marshal S.H.F.J. ‘Sam’, 65-67
Manoharan, Vinod, 84
Mansingh, Sonal, 15
Manu Smriti, 60, 131
Mbeki, Thabo, 99
Mediratta, Dr Gopinath, 17
‘Message from Mother Earth’, 99, 100-01
Menon, Prof. M.G.K., 17
Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), 79
Modi, Narendra, 93
Moon Impact Probe, 77
Moradabad Institute of Technology, 143
Mughal Garden, 118-21
Nag missile, 79
Naidu, N. Chandrababu, 11
Naik, 41
Nair, P.M., 66
Nalanda International University, 56
nanotechnology, 83
Narasimhan, E.S.L., 1
Narasimhaswamy, D., 89
Narayanan, Chitra, 118
Narayanan, K.R., 14, 118
Narayanan, Usha, 118
national addresses, 6, 44-47,55
National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI), 122
National Cooperative Development Corporation, 142
National Democratic Alliance (NDA), 11, 12
National Litigation Pendency Clearance Mission, 37
National Prosperity Index (NPI), 53
‘Nishank’, Dr Ramesh Pokhariyal, 1
nuclear disarmament, 159
nuclear power plants, safety of, 146
nuclear tests, 10, 20, 21, 159
Nehru, Pandit Jawaharlal, 35
Office of Profit Bill, 129-32
Outlook magazine, 138
Pan African e-Network, 98, 99, 141, 143
Pan African Parliament, 99
Pandalai, Prof. K.V., 14
parliamentary democracy, 149
Patel, Sardar Vallabhbhai, 35, 93
Patnaik, Biju, 81
Patni village, 115
Periyar Maniammai College, 114
Periyar PURA, 112, 114
photonics, 83
Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C19), 82
Pöttering, Hans-Gert, 99
Prakash, Admiral Arun, 41
Prasad, Dr Rajendra, 35
Prasad, R.K., 140
Prasangam, 10
Prithvi missile, 79, 80
Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas (PURA), 25, 52, 110, 111-13, 114-17
Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-1), 82
Rai, K.N., 22
Rajaji (C. Rajagopalachari), 35
Rajan, Dr Y.S., 22, 123
Raman, Sir C.V., 103
Ramanna, Dr Raja, 18, 19, 70
Ramchand, K., 88
Rameswaram, 104
Rao, Prof. C.N.R., 74
Rao, P.V. Narasimha, 20, 70, 71-72
Rashtrapati Nilayam, 74, 76
Rathore, Wing Commander Ajay, 42
Ravi, S., 89
Reddy, Dr Chenna, 19
Reddy, Neelam Sanjiva, 105
Republic Day speech, 45-46, 55
Robben Island, 103
Rohini satellite, 10, 18
role as president, 28
Rumi, 91
Sabarmati Ashram, 94
Salim, 41
Salwan, Dr S.K., 80
Samajwadi Party, 145
Saraf, 18
Sarabhai, Dr Vikram, 17, 93
Saraswat, Dr V.K., 79, 80
Sardesai, Rajdeep, 1
Sastrigal, Pakshi Venkatasubramaniam, 14
Satish Dhawan Space Centre, 82
Scindia, Madhav Rao, 24
seminar on judicial reforms, 37
Seshu, Sqn Ldr N.V., 89
Shaju, K.P., 89
Sharma, Pandit Shiv Kumar, 123
Shekhawat, Bhairon Singh, 128
Sheridon, H., 22
Singh, Amar, 145
Singh, Marshal of the Air Arjan, 66
Singh, Brahma, 121-23
Singh, Khushwant, 67-68
Singh, Dr Manmohan, 36, 70, 72, 98, 126, 135
skill map of U.P., 144
Small Wheeler Island, 80, 81
Socrates’ cave, 102
solar energy, 46, 47
Space Launch Vehicle (SLV-3), 10, 18, 87
Sree Sree Sivakumara Swamigalu, 69
Sudan, 99, 108
Sukhoi-30 MKI, 40, 42-43
Supreme Court, 126-28
Swamiji Maharaj, Pramukh, 93
Swaminathan, Major General R., 22
tactile garden, 122
Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, 17
ten pillars of development, 32
Tiwari, Prof. Arun, 86, 120
The 123 Agreement, 145
TIFAC (Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council), 10
Tipnis, Air Chief Marshal A.Y., 88
Torni village, 110, 111
Trishul missile, 79
Ukraine visit, 99
UPA (United Progressive Alliance), 145
Ustad Bismillah Khan, 2
Vajpayee, Atal Bihari, 11, 12, 20-21, 24, 33, 36, 70, 72, 92
Vallam PURA, 112
Venkataraman, Sqn Ldr P., 89
Venkataraman, R., 19, 70
Venkatraman, Dilip, 1
Venkataswamy, Dr G., 14
videoconferencing, 38
Vijayaraghavan, Dr M.S., 22
virtual conferences, 55
visionary leaders, 35
Williams, 41
World Knowledge Platform, 97, 102
Yadav, Akhilesh, 143
Yadav, Lalu Prasad, 106
Yadav, Mulayam Singh, 145-46
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Dear Friends, I am eighty years of age, and have just completed my twenty-first book – Turning Points. It all started one winter morning at my residence at 10 Rajaji Marg, New Delhi. I and H. Sheridon, my personal secretary, were going through my diaries and we found that there were seven turning points or challenges – eight if you include life after demitting the office of president – navigating which made me succeed in life.
I am full of gratitude to the people who have poured out their love and affection to me throughout my life. As also to those who have shared their challenges and happiness with me. I would add to this number the readers of my books, two of which have reached more than a million readers, and five others have found more than a 100,000 readers. I am deeply grateful to all. Particularly, one person whom I would like to convey my heartiest gratitude to is Major General R. Swaminathan, who has been with me for more than thirty years, during all the phases of my life in many successes and a few failures. He is a friend, philosopher and guide. He played a very important role in bringing out Turning Points making sure to maintain the utmost accuracy in the details.
The book would not have taken shape without the untiring and dedicated efforts of Dhan Shyam Sharma and Vishal Rastogi in the preparation of the manuscript. I value the fine inputs given by Narayana Moorthy and V. Ponraj. I am deeply indebted to Krishan Chopra of HarperCollins for his great contribution in reviewing the manuscript and structuring the book through his constant interaction with me and carrying out meticulous editing. I also thank Rajinder Ganju, who went out of his way in typesetting the whole manuscript in a very short time to help take the book through to press.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
AVUL PAKIR JAINULABDEEN ABDUL KALAM was the eleventh President of India, from 2002 to 2007. He is a recipient of the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Vibhushan and the nation’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna.
Born in 1931 in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr Kalam studied aeronautical engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology. He played a key role in the development of India’s first satellite launch vehicle, the SLV-3, which launched the Rohini satellite in 1980 to take India into the space club; in the building and operationalization of India’s strategic missile systems; and in the 1998 nuclear tests. As chairman of the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC) and as an eminent scientist, he led the country with the help of 500 experts to arrive at Technology Vision 2020 giving a road map for transforming India into a developed nation.
As an elder statesman, he remains in the public eye for his role in offering counsel, reaching out to people and building bridges across religious and social divides. Dr Kalam’s focus stays on transforming India into a developed nation by 2020 and to this end he continues to follow a rigorous schedule that has him travelling across the country for his teaching assignments at IITs and IIMs, to address conferences and to meet students and people from all walks of life.
The Family and the Nation with Acharya Mahapragya
First published in India in 2011 by
HarperCollins Publishers India
a joint venture with
The India Today Group
Copyright © A.P.J. Abdul Kalam 2012
ISBN: 978-93-5029-347-8
Epub Edition © June 2012 ISBN: 9789350295434
4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam asserts the moral right to be identified
as the author of this work.
The views and opinions expressed in this book are the author’s own and the facts are as reported by him, and the publishers are not in any way liable for the same.
All rights reserved under The Copyright Act, 1957. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this ebook on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins Publishers India.
Cover design: Amrita Chakravorty
www.harpercollins.co.in
HarperCollins Publishers
A-53, Sector 57, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201301, India
77-85 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8JB, United Kingdom
Hazelton Lanes, 55 Avenue Road, Suite 2900, Toronto, Ontario M5R 3L2
and 1995 Markham Road, Scarborough, Ontario M1B 5M8, Canada
25 Ryde Road, Pymble, Sydney, NSW 2073, Australia
31 View Road, Glenfield, Auckland 10, New Zealand
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022, USA