A. P. J Abdul Kalam

Born in 1931, Kalam was the 11 ‘h President of India. A highly respected scientist and engineer, he played a major role in development of India’s first indigenously designed and produced satellite launch vehicle (SLV) while at Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), and a number of successful missiles including Agni and Prithvi while at Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), which earned him the nickname “missile man of India”. Kalam played a pivotal role in India’s Pokharan II nuclear test in 1998, which established him as a national hero.

Among numerous. awards to him are country’s highest honours Padma Vibhushan (1990) andBharat Ratna (1997). He is the first Asian to be bestowed the 2008 Hoover Medal, America’s top engineering prize. Kalam has received honorary doctorates from as many as thirty universities. He has authored several books including an autobiography “Wings ofFire”, and a vision “India2020”.

A pre-eminent scientist, he is also a humble humanitarian in every sense ofthe word.