A clear indication of the greatness of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
1. Dr Kalam used to receive costly
gifts whenever he went as it is customary for many nations to give gifts to the
visiting Head of state. Refusing the gift would become an insult to the nation
and an embarrassment for India. So, he received them and on his return, Dr
Kalam asked the gifts to be photographed and then catalogued and handed over to
the archives. Afterwards, he never even looked at them. He did not take even a
pencil from the gifts received, when he left Rashtrapati Bhavan.
2. In 2002, the year Dr Kalam
took over, the Ramadan month came in July-August. It was a regular practice for
the President to host an iftar party. Dr Kalam asked Mr Nair why he should host
a party to people who are already well fed and asked him to find out how much
would be the cost. Mr Nair told it costs around Rs. 22 lakhs. Dr Kalam asked
him to donate that amount to a few selected orphanages in the form of food,
dresses and blankets. The selection of orphanages was left to a team in
Rashtrapati Bhavan and Dr Kalam had no role in it. After the selection was
made, Dr Kalam asked Mr Nair to come inside his room and gave him a cheque for
Rs 1 lakh. He said that he is giving some amount from his personal savings and
this should not be informed to anyone. Mr Nair was so shocked that he said "Sir,
I will go outside and tell everyone . People should know that here is a man who
not only donated what he should have spent but he is giving his own money
also". Dr Kalam though he was a devout Muslim did not have Iftar parties
in the years in which he was the President.
3. Dr Kalam did not like "yes
sir" type of people. Once when the Chief Justice of India had come and on
some point Dr Kalam expressed his view and asked Mr Nair, "Do you
agree?"/ Mr Nair said "No sir, I do not agree with you". The
Chief Justice was shocked and could not believe his ears. It was impossible for
a civil servant to disagree with the president and that too so openly. Mr Nair
told him that the President would question him afterwards why he disagreed and
if the reason was logical 99% he would change his mind.
4. Dr Kalam invited 50 of his
relatives to come to Delhi and they all stayed in Rashtrapati Bhavan. He
organised a bus for them to go around the city which was paid for by him. No
official car was used. All their stay and food was calculated as per the
instructions of Dr Kalam and the bill came to Rs 2 lakhs which he paid. In the
history of this country no one has done it. Now, wait for the climax, Dr Kalam's
elder brother stayed with him in his room for the entire one week as Dr Kalam
wanted his brother to stay with him. When they left, Dr Kalam wanted to pay
rent for that room also. Imagine a President of country paying rent for the
room in which he is staying. This was any way not agreed by the staff who
thought the honesty was getting too much to handle!!!.
5. When Kalam sir was to
leave Rashtrapati Bhavan at the end of the tenure, every staff member went and
met him and paid their respects. Mr Nair went to him alone as his wife had
fractured her leg and was bed ridden. Dr Kalam asked why his wife did not come.
He replied that she was in bed due to an accident. Next day, Nair saw lot of
police men around his house and asked what had happened. They said that the
President of India was coming to visit him in his house. He came and met his
wife and chatted for some time. Mr Nair says that no president of any country
would visit a civil servant's house and that too on such a simple pretext.
I thought I should give the details as many of you may not have
seen the telecast and so it may be useful.
We should be surprised only Nair's information on Dr.Abdul Kalam was any different.. He did not conduct his life in such a humble and simple way not for the sake of others but as per his own conviction and his conscience demanded. Such noble souls never leave our memory and they linger on for ever.
ReplyDeleteSalaam to Hon. Dr. Kalaam. Job well done! He really lived with Islamic values. May God give every country this kind of Presidents and Government workers.
ReplyDeleteHE REALLY LIVED WITH INDIAN VALUES...not just islamic values..
Deletecan you please send the link of that interview?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much. I grieve Dr.Kalam's passing away as a personal loss and these few paragraphs are really very precious (I no longer llive in India and hence don't have access to the telecast). Is there a video link? Would it be possible to contact Mr.P.M.Nair (as he is retired). I had the good fortune of meeting Mr.Nair when he was CS in Pondicherry and the immense fortune of listening to our President in person when he gave a fantastic and inspirational speech in the European Parliament in 2007. Thanks in advance. Would really appreciate.....
ReplyDeleteA great man, indeed! He lived his life till the very end.... We were blessed to have lived in his time.
ReplyDeleteDr. Kalam was followed by Mrs. Pratibha Patil as President of India. If someone could give a comparison between the predecessor & follower, we can get a good insight of parameters of becoming a good human being.
ReplyDeleteIt is because of few great souls like Mr.Kalam that this country is still functioning. May bless our country with more such souls.
ReplyDeleteGreat man. His child-like simplicity combined with obvious erudition has left such an impress on the minds of all Indians. A Patriot who saw the world with clear eyes and a burning sense of mission to put India on the world stage. He connected with children in a way hardly any of our leaders have. He wore his religion lightly, but paradoxically through the manner he lived his life, may have done more than anyone else to raise Islam's flag and make every Indian Muslim proud!
ReplyDeleteA True Muslim
ReplyDeletea true indian...that is more important..
Deletegreat man ... A true Indian ...
ReplyDeleteThats the great leadership quality of our missile man Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
ReplyDeleteSalute and proud of him
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