My Interview With Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Dr. Kalam: Thank you as well
it was a pleasure conversing with you.
ok
By Manisha Biswas on June 22, 2017 at 11:00 A.M.
In my dream, I interviewed Dr Abdul Kalam, the
former president of India
Interviewer: Thank you so much for meeting with me today
Sir, You’re.
Dr. Kalam : Thank you, you are
certainly welcome.
Interviewer: Sir, please say
something about the book ‘Wings of Fire’.
Dr. Kalam : ‘Wings of Fire’ is an
autobiography of mine. It gives a vivid picture of our country during
1930—1950s. It is very engaging initially, but tends a drag a bit towards the
end with lot of technical details and procedural information of my space
research and missile projects. It has written jointly by me and Arun Tiwari.
Interviewer: Sir, Can you share
with us about your family where you were born?
Dr. Kalam : I was born into a
middle—class Tamil family in the island town of Rameswaram in the erstwhile
Madras state. My father, Jainulabdeen,
had neither much formal education nor much wealth; despite these disadvangages,
he possessed great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit. He had an
ideal helpmate in my mother, Ashiamma. They were widely regarded as an ideal
couple. My mother’s lineage was the more distinguished, one of her forebears
having been bestowed the title of ‘Bahadur’ by the British.
Interviewer: Have you remember
how many people had eaten at your house together? Can you tell me about your
meal?
Dr. Kalam : I do not recall the
exact number of people my mother fed everyday, but I am quite sure that far
more outsiders ate with us than all the members of our own family put together.
I would eat with my mother, sitting on the floor of the kitchen. My mother
would place a banana leaf before me. Then she would pour rice and aromatic
sambar with a ladle. She would also serve a variety of sharp, home-made pickle
and a dollop of fresh coconut chutney.
Interviewer: Can you remember
your house where you lived?
Dr. Kalam : Yes, It was our
ancestral house, which was built in the middle of the 19th century.
It was a fairly large pucca house, made of limestone and brick on the Mosque
Street in Rameswaram.
Interviewer: Please tell me
something about your child hood days.
Dr. Kalam : I was one of many
children and a short boy with undistinguished looks. I lived in a middle class
tamil family. All necessities were
provided for, in terms of food, medicine or clothing. I had a congenial family
atmosphere. I had no emotional disturbance or material want unfulfilled. I was
brought up in happiness. So I would say mine was a very secure childhood.
Interviewer: Have you ever seen
the Shiva temple?
Dr. Kalam : Yes, I have seen the
Shiva temple, which made Rameswaram so famous to pilgrims was about ten-minute
walk from our house.
Interviewer: How was your
locality? Is there any Mosque?
Dr. Kalam : My locality was
predominately Muslim, but there were quite a lot of Hindu families too, living
amicably with their Muslim neighbors. There was very old mosque in my locality
where my father would take me for evening prayers.
Interviewer: What would happen when your father came out
of the Mosque?
Dr. Kalam : When my father came
out of the Mosque after the prayers, people of different religion would be
sitting outside, waiting for him. Many of them offered bows of water to my
father, who would did his fingertips in them and say a prayer. This water was
them carried home for invalids. I also remember people visiting our home to
offer thanks after being cured. My father always smiled and asked them to thank
Allah, the merciful.
Interviewer: Do you know about
Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry? How was the relation between your father and Pakshi
Lakshmana sastry? Please tell me.
Dr. Kalam : Yes, Pakshi
Lakshmana Sastry was the high priest of Rameswaram temple. He was also a very
intimate friend of my father. I call up one of the most vivid memories of his
early childhood. Both my father and Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry were in their own
traditional attire. They represent two would discuss spiritual matters. Their
relationship shows the essence of religion. It brings the message of tolerance
and love. I think that this relationship also signifies unity in diversity.
Interviewer: Is there anything
mysterious about prayer?
Dr. Kalam : I went to nearest Mosque for evening prayer
with my father. But I could not understand the Arabic chanting of the prayer. I
convinced that this prayer directly reached the God. When I becomes old enough
my father asked the relevance of prayer. My father answered that there was no
mystery in prayer. I understand that prayer is a communion of the inner sprite.
One could become a part of the universe through prayer. It enables the man to
go beyond the age, wealth, cast or creed. My father advised me not to be
worried in facing problems and suffering because in adverse situations, man can
analyze himself.
Interviewer: How did your
father’s attitude to adversity influence to you?
Dr. Kalam : My father’s deep thought influenced me. He was a
very simple man. He advises that one could be able to judge himself in
adversity. I would realize what I was and what were my faults. My father
described complicated mater in a simple way. He told me
that every human being is a part of the universe. He advised me not to afraid
of fusing troubles and sufferings. Only then one could realize the relevance of
his sufferings. Thus the thoughts of my father influence me highly.
Interviewer: Please discuss about
the fundamental truth.
Dr. Kalam : The fundamental
truth is that there is the existence of divine power. It helps to overcome
everyone from all confusion, misery, melancholy and failure. This divine power
is eternal. I felt convinced that there exists a divine power which my father
always said. According to my father, an individual should cut himself off from
the clutches of material and emotional bonds to achieve freedom, happiness and
peace of mind.
Interviewer: Does a man have any relation with the universe? How do you
establish a link with the cosmos?
Dr. Kalam : You see that various
religious leaders, seers, philosophers, poets have claimed that man is a part
of the almighty soul which omnipresent and pervades the universe. I believe
that we have an intimate relation with the universe. The Hindus have all along believed this. My
father says that every human being is a specific element within the whole of
the manifest divine being. According to my father it is through prayers that we
can transcend our body and establish a link with the cosmos.
Interviewer: What was your father’s advice about dealing with adversity?
Dr. Kalam : My father was a spiritual and progressive thinker. He
taught me that adversity always presents opportunities for introspection. When
troubles come one should try to understand the relevance of her/his sufferings.
One should not be afraid of difficulties, sufferings and problems. All of these
are actually a great design of the divine being. The positive attitude impressed me. I always
asked my father why he did not say that to the people who come to him for help
and advice. My father stated that every recurrent anguish, longing and desire
finds its own special helper. Then I understand that a lonely person searches
for a company, a person in trouble looks for a helper. When one reaches an impasse she/he searches
for a guide. Throughout my life, I tried to follow my father’s direction.
Interviewer: Can I say that you are a spiritual person like your father?
Dr. Kalam : I am a scientist. Primarily science is materialistic, while
the concern of spirituality is the human soul. So the interests of science and
spirituality differ from each other in matter, manner and effect. I was deeply
influenced by the spirituality of my father. Spirituality leads to clear vision
and fruitful understanding of the world in my own world of science and
technology. I feel convinced that there exists a divine power that can lift one
from confusion, misery, melancholy and failure and guide one to one’s true
place. And I am proud of my father who taught me spirituality.
Interviewer: How would you look at your father’s austerity to avoid all
inessential comforts and luxuries?
Dr. Kalam : My father was against all inessential comforts and luxuries.
Born in a time before India’s freedom, I could have easily understood the
condition. Even today a considerable percentage of Indian population struggle
hard to sustain their minimum necessity. So when I learn that my father was
austere enough to avoid all inessential comforts and luxuries, it seems a noble
effort. He never did it for all necessary things, in terms of food medicine or
clothing. My father’s austerity is really inspiring in this age of consumerism.
Interviewer: Please say me how did your father start his day?
Dr. Kalam : Yes, I remember that my
father started his day at 4 a.m. by reading the namaz before dawn. After the
namaz, he used to walk down to a small coconut grove, we owned, about four
miles from our home. He would return with about a dozen of coconuts tied
together thrown over his shoulders, and only then would he have his breakfast.
This remained in his late sixties.
Interviewer: Do you think that strong roots are necessary for success in
life?
Dr. Kalam : I have a strong connections with my family. I go back to my
childhood days memories and analyses how my childhood experiences helped me in
future. I show strong connections with my parents. My father helped me to build
a spiritual sensibility which provided a strong ground for my progress. I
throughout my life emulate my father in my own world of science and technology.
I think strong roots are necessary for progress of an individual.
Interviewer: What is your advice to the new generation’s student?
Dr. Kalam : There are many aspect for the new generation. Firstly, I
have encountered as a student there are some really easy way to beat the
negative thoughts. Thinking should become your capital asset, no matter
whatever ups and downs. You come across in your life —thinking is progress.
Non-thinking is stagnation of the individual, organizations and country.
Thinking leads action, knowledge without action is useless and irrelevant.
Knowledge with action converts adversity into prosperity. When you speak the
truth, I will not be presumptuous enough to say that my life can be a role
model for anybody, but some poor child living in an obscure place in an under
privileged social setting may find a little solace in the way my destiny has
been shaped. It could perhaps help such children liberate themselves from the
bondage of their illusory backwardness and hopelessness.
Interviewer: Thank you so much
for your time it was truly an honour meeting you.
1 comment:
Thanks baron Kumar for helping me
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