Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, is an Indian scientist and administrator who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007.
Introduction:
- A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in a Tamil Muslim family to Jainulabdeen, a boat owner and Ashiamma, a housewife, at Rameswaram, located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
- Kalam is popularly known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology.
- Before his term as President, he worked as an aerospace engineer with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- He is the 11th President of India from year 2002 to 2007.
Education:
- He completed his school education at the Rameshwaram Elementary School.
- He went on to attend Saint Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli, then affiliated with the University of Madras, from where he graduated in physics in 1954.
- He then moved to Madras in 1955 to study aerospace engineering.
Industry Profile:
- He worked as an aerospace engineer with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- He worked as an aerospace engineer with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
- He was elected the President of India in 2002.
- He is currently a visiting professor at Indian Institute of Management Shillong, Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad and Indian Institute of Management Indore.
- He is also the chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram.
Awards:
Year of award or honour | Name of award or honour | Awarding organisation |
---|---|---|
2012 | Doctor of Laws (Honoris Causa) | Simon Fraser University |
2011 | IEEE Honorary Membership | IEEE |
2010 | Doctor of Engineering | University of Waterloo |
2009 | HONORARY DOCTORATE | Oakland University |
2009 | Hoover Medal | ASME Foundation, USA |
2009 | International von Kármán Wings Award | California Institute of Technology, U.S.A |
2008 | Doctor of Engineering (Honoris Causa) | Nanyang Technological University, Singapore |
2007 | King Charles II Medal | Royal Society, U.K. |
2007 | Honorary Doctorate of Science | University of Wolverhampton, U.K |
2000 | Ramanujan Award | Alwars Research Centre, Chennai |
1998 | Veer Savarkar Award | Government of India |
1997 | Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration | Indian National Congress |
1997 | Bharat Ratna | Government of India |
1990 | Padma Vibhushan | Government of India |
1981 | Padma Bhushan | Government of India |