Amit Shah hails Abdul Kalam, says nation advancing in space tech under PM Modi’s leadership

PTI, Jul 29, 2023, 8:05 PM IST

Image credit: ANI / File

Rameswaram (TN):Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership the nation is making giant strides in space technology, a vision nurtured by iconic scientist and late President APJ Abdul Kalam, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said here on Saturday.

Addressing the launch event of the book “Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Memories Never Die,” here, Shah hailed Kalam for his yeoman services to the nation including in the field of India’s space technology.

“When a poor person reaches the peak of democracy, then he dedicates democracy for the welfare of the poor. Dr Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Modi have demonstrated this through their actions.”

Kalam made India self-reliant on guided missiles. He successfully launched the Agni and Prithvi missiles and tested atomic bombs successfully in 1998 at Pokhran. Kalam’s name would be written in golden letters for giving DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) a new direction.

Shah said, “Under PM Modi’s leadership opportunities in space science for our students, youth and their startups are open. APJ Abdul Kalam’s dream of achievements in space science will be accomplished by PM Modi’s innovations and new initiatives. And I believe that India will lead the entire world in the field of space science.”

Following the late former President’s footsteps, under PM Modi’s leadership, the nation launched 55 spacecraft missions, 50 launch vehicle missions and 11 student satellites, Shah noted.

A record 104 satellites were launched (PSLV-C37, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) in a single flight and the re-entry (to earth’s atmosphere) experiment of a satellite was also successfully completed, he outlined.

“I believe India will certainly fulfil Dr Kalam’s dreams and India will certainly lead in the sector of space.”

Amit Shah addressed a rally here on Friday and flagged off the state-wide padayatra ‘En Mann En Makkal’ (My Land, My People) of his party’s state unit president K Annamalai. Rameswaram is the home town of the former President Abdul Kalam (1931-2015).

The Home Minister said Kalam, who attained many achievements for India in the field of rockets and space, placed his vision for the nation in the public arena. In the book, “India 2020 Vision For the New Millennium,” Kalam presented the roadmap for India’s development.

Shah said he had read the book’s translation in which three aspects had been underscored by the former president.

The first was identifying India’s strengths and developing the nation according to it and the second was on developing a technology-based economy. The third point was adopting a balanced growth by developing both cities and villages and also agriculture and industry.

“In 2023, when we look back now, under the leadership of PM Modi we have fulfilled all the three conditions and India is heading towards becoming a developed nation.”

Tracing the life and times of the former President, Shah said Kalam, who began his life as a ‘paper boy’ delivering newspapers later himself made headlines through his work for the nation and eventually assumed the high office of the President of India.

Kalam demonstrated probity in public life by his action, and that explains people remembering him as ‘people’s president’.

He recalled that during Kalam’s Presidency, when 52 of his relatives, who called on him once stayed in the Rashtrapati Bhavan for nine days, he remitted Rs 9.52 lakh to the government for their stay though they were state-guests as per protocol.

After a meeting with Field Marshal Manekshaw, the late President showed his respect to such officials and the personnel of the Armed forces by arranging pending payout due to them with retrospective effect.

Hailing him for his humility, Shah said Kalam was the only person to enter the Rashtrapati Bhavan as President with just two suitcases and went home in exactly the same way after he demitted office.

The book “Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: Memories Never Die” depicts the journey of Dr Kalam from a small town Rameswaram to India’s highest constitutional position.

The Tamil book on the life story of Kalam, “Ninaivugalukku Maranam Illai,” was authored by Dr Y S Rajan (lead author), a noted scientist who worked with the former President. It was co-authored by Dr Nazema Maraikayar, Kalam’s brother Mohammed Muthu Meeran Maraikayar’s daughter. The book is translated into English by Sripriya Srinivasan.