Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s Birth Anniversary: Here are some of his major contributions to the country

Team Udayavani, Oct 15, 2020, 12:18 PM IST

Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s birth anniversary is being celebrated today. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on October 15, 1931, at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.

He worked with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a scientist and an administrator before becoming the President of India.

Kalam also headed the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme and developed missiles like Agni and Prithvi. His close involvement with the nation’s space and ballistic missile development program earned him the sobriquet “Missile Man of India”.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s Major contributions to the country:

Abdul Kalam helped develop India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle. SLV III injected Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit in July 1980 making India an exclusive Space Club member.

The nuclear tests under the supervision of Dr Kalam, during July 1992 to December 1999, made India a nuclear power.

He became the CEO of integrated guided Missile development programme and played a key role in the development and operationalization of missiles like Prithvi and Agni

He also became the director of two projects, Project Devil and Project Valiant. In the 1970s, the goal of Project Devil was to produce a short-range surface-to-air missile. Although discontinued in 1980 without achieving full success, Project Devil, led to the later development of the Prithvi missile.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam headed multiple nuclear tests at Pokhran. As the Chief Scientific Adviser to the then Prime Minister, Dr Kalam played a major role in heading the Pokhran-II nuclear tests

Kalam began a trust named ‘Providing Urban Amenities to Rural area’ (PURA) and he gave away all his salaries and savings for it.

Dr Kalam worked with cardiologist Soma Raju, and developed a low cost coronary stent the ‘Kalam-Raju Stent’ In 2012, they designed a rugged tablet computer for healthcare in rural areas which was named ‘Kalam Raju tablet’

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and his team worked endlessly to produce orthosis callipers that weighed 1/10th of the weight of those that were available in the market. These floor reaction calipers made movement and walking less painful and cumbersome, allowing kids to walk more freely and fluidly without much help.