Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam: former President of India, Bharat Ratna, the Missile Man of India, pioneer scientist, and educationist extraordinaire. It is indeed strange that the man who has been on a mission to spread knowledge all over the country and the world ever since his stint at the top job of the country left for his heavenly abode while doing what he loved the most – spreading knowledge.
Dr. Kalam, who was India’s president from 2002 to 2007 (and remains the most respected one among all), died in Shillong on Monday evening after collapsing during a lecture at the IIM.
“Kalam is no more,” Meghalaya Chief Secretary P.B.O. Warjri told IANS, shortly after the 83-year-old president breathed his last at the Bethany Hospital where he was taken to from the management school.
His Last Tweet
Going to Shillong.. to take course on Livable Planet earth at iim. With @srijanpalsingh and Sharma.
— APJ Abdul Kalam (@APJAbdulKalam) July 27, 2015
The former president was delivering a lecture on ‘liveable planet’ when he collapsed from what reports say a massive cardiac arrest at around 6.30 pm.
Government will declare national mourning for seven days, said Union Home Secretary LC Goyal. John Sailo Ryntathiang, director of the Bethany Hospital, said Kalam was brought “almost dead”.
The death of Dr. Kalam is an irreparable loss to this nation. He has left a big void hard to fill. I deeply mourn his death. RIP Kalam Sahab
— Rajnath Singh (@BJPRajnathSingh) July 27, 2015
V sad to hear that Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is no more. Nation has lost a real bharat ratna.
Also See
Top Most Characters of Mahabharata
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 27, 2015
I’m rlly brken down to get the news that APJ Abdul Kalam is no more.he ws always so inspiring 2 al of us.U r a legend http://t.co/Bb5mnI0R0C
— Prosenjit Chatterjee (@prosenjitbumba) July 27, 2015
Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of one of the most inspirational Indians of r time, former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Azad. RIP.
— Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) July 27, 2015
India mourns the loss of a great scientist, a wonderful President & above all an inspiring individual. RIP Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 27, 2015
Born on October 15, 1931 at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, Kalam went on to become one of the country’s most celebrated aerospace and defence scientists. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1981, Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and Bharat Ratna in 1997. He played a key role in India’s nuclear test in 1998.
