The 11th president of India, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam has been an inspiring personality for the young generation over several decades. His journey from a boatman’s hut in Rameswaram to the Rashtrapati Bhavan as the president is really awe indpiring. But have you ever wondered why Kalam is called Missile Man of India? Let us know everything about that.
After studying Aerospace Engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology he joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation( DRDO). Dr Kalam always wanted to be a fighter pilot and he had applied to be a pilot in the Indian Air Force but he ranked 9 where as only eight positions in Indian Air Force were available at that time. So he could not join. Hi join DRDO in 1958. In 1969 he was transferred to Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). He was made the project head of India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III). He successfully developed Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and SLV-III projects. In the 1970s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi provided secret funds through her discretionary powers to develop the ballistic missiles from the SLV programme technology. Defence Minister R. Venkataraman appointed Kalam as the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). This project dealt with the development of missiles. A huge fund of ₹388 crore was provided for this project of developing missile. Under this mission Kalam developed many missiles. This is the prime reason why he is called the Missile Man of India. Famous missiles of India Agni and Prithvi were developed at his time. ABJ Kalam served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and as the Chief Project Coordinator of the Pokhran-II nuclear test 1998. He received the highest civilian award of the Republic of India- Bharat Ratna award in 1997.