A dream hero and a true leader...

My painting on Kalam when he turned 75 in 2006

APJ Abdul Kalam doesn’t need an intro and children/students celebrate him as hero, who inspires everyone to dream. Being a rocket scientist, I see him as a true leader who guided the country on the right path with an anticipation that is quite selfless. It is rare for a country with billion populations who entirely love and admire an individual beyond their variation and unity in diversity.

I am uncertain in which way I admire him the most (as a rocket scientist or missile man, a transformer of dreams or president of India, or perhaps his various aspects and schemes) but the concept of India 2020 impressed me lot and want to follow his path. India 2020 is the first book I read (with interest) apart the school text books which I read in a compulsion or without passion. He showed me a way to explore things through books, even though I started reading books actually to improve my English it was his book initiated the habit.

Just like everyone, his simplicity and down to earth attitude (even at the post of higher position and first citizen of nation) make me feel incredible and proud to live in his era. Among his many pursuits of dreams, the 2020 project is a wake-up call for the entire nation to work hard to fulfill his dreams where lies our bright future. What really bother me was, whether India becomes a developed nation or not in 2020, he should have lived to encourage us until we reach quite a position.

He had touched almost all the areas and wanted to develop everything equally (with a vision for tomorrow) because a development gets a full form only if it was balanced. Although he’s a scientist dealt with deadly weapons and missiles, he’s gentle enough towards every human being as he himself being so, he’s more concern about environment and want to bring a transformation in agriculture using latest technologies. His Go Green campaign that began in Tamil Nadu with an intention to plant 10 million saplings is a great initiation, which I see as a balance to various destruction we do in name of development.

Agriculture being my favorite subject and villages being center of its state, I like the way he look into the concept of agriculture and the need to develop the villages, he quotes:

My true labor will give life to my village

our villages elevates, our families will get good prosperity

our families lived well, our state will rise

our state elevates, our country will evolutes as a fertile nation

we work hard and develop our village, state and nation.

As a teacher he has reached students that any other leader or educationist would have done. Teaching being his main intention as he believes giving education is the best way to make someone realize his dreams and he sowed the seeds in students for the future nourishment and he understands the fact that taking anything at earlier gives good result. Not everyone gets the chance to die while doing what they love and respect to do so... at the age of 84, our youngest hero passed away while on his course of teaching (delivering a lecture) to students at IIM Shillong on a livable plant.

Good bye Kalam, we will follow your track and bring alive your dream.