Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015) was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. The 11th President of India, widely acclaimed as the “people’s President”, passed away on July 27, 2015 after collapsing during a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management in Shillong.
» 1931: Born Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam on October 15, in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
» 1954: Graduates in Physics from Saint Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli, in 1954.
» 1960: Gains degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology.
» 1969: Transferred to ISRO from the DRDO.
» 1980: India enters the space club by putting the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit with the first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III), developed under the stewardship of Dr. Kalam.
» 1980s-1990s: As the chief of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, he was responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and PRITHVI Missiles.
» 1992-1999: works as Chief Scientific Advisor to the PM and Secretary of the DRDO.
» 1998: India conducts the Pokhran II nuclear tests in May with Dr. Kalam as the chief project coordinator.
» 1999-2001: Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India.
» 2002-2007: President of India
Bharat Ratna Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam addressing the 14th Convocation ceremony at IIT Guwahati on 25-05-2012 . Pix By Vikramjit Kakati
* He was the 11th President of India (2002-2007). He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1997, the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 1981.
* Was a pioneer of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, India’s space workhorse.
* Brain behind India’s missile programme, including Agni and Prithvi.
* He was the chief project coordinator of the Pokhran II nuclear tests.