STRONG ROOTS SAQ

1. What is the source of ‘Strong Roots’?

Ans. ‘Strong Roots’ has taken from Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam’s autobiography, ‘Wings of Fire’(1990).

2. Where was APJ Abdul Kalam born?

Ans. Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam was born at Rameswaram in Tamilnadu.

3.  In What type of family was Abdul Kalam born?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam was born into a Middle class Tamil Family.

4. Who were kalam’s father and mother ?

Ans. APJ Abdul’s father was Jainulabdeen and mother was Ashiamma.

5. In whom did Abdul Kalam’s father have an ideal helpmate ?

Ans. Ashiamma was an ideal helpmate of Kalam’s father.

6. What is the full name of APJ Abdul Kalam ?

Ans. The full name of APJ Abdul Kalam is Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam.

7. How was APJ Abdul Kalam’s mother lineage ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam’s mother lineage was very distinguished as one of her forebears had been bestowed the title of  ‘Bahadur’ by the British.

8. How does Kalam compare his looks in childhood with that of his parents ?

Ans. According to Kalam he was a short boy with rather undistinguished looks while his parents were tall and handsome.

9. How was Kalam’s ancestral house ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house was a fairly large pucca house, made of limestone and brick and it was built in the middle of the 19th century.

10. Where was Kalam’s ancestral house located ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house was located on Mosque Street in Rameswaram, Tamilnadu.

11. What did Kalam’s father avoid ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam’s austere father avoided all inessential comforts and luxuries.

12. How was Kalam’s childhood ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam had a very secure childhood, both materially and emotionally.

13. With whom did Kalam eat ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam would eat normally with his mother, sitting on the floor of the kitchen.

14. What would Kalam,s mother serve at lunch ?

Ans. At lunch, APJ Abdul Kalam,s mother would serve  rice, aromatic sambar, home-made pickle and fresh coconut chutney. 

15. Which temple made Rameswaram famous to pilgrims ?

Ans. The Shiva temple made Rameswaram famous to pilgrims.

16. How was the locality where Kalam lived ?

Ans. In APJ Abdul Kalam,s locality was Muslim dominated, though a lot of Hindu families lived amicably with their Muslim neighbours.

17. Why would Kalam,s father would take him to the local mosque ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam,s father would take him to the local mosque for evening prayers.

18.Why would people of different religions wait outside the mosque for Kalam’s father ?

Ans. People of different religions would wait for Kalam’s father for the sanctification of the water that they would take home for invalids.

19. Who was the high priest of Rameswaram temple ?

Ans. Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry was the high priest of Rameswaram temple and a very close friend of APJ Abdul Kalam’s father.

20. What can prayer make possible ?

Ans. Prayer can make possible a communion of the spirit between people.

21. How could Kalam’s father convey complex spiritual concepts ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam’s father could convey complex spiritual concepts in very simple, down to tamil.

22. What according to Kalam’s father, should one do when troubles come ?

Ans. According to Kalam’s father, one should try to understand the relevance of sufferings when troubles come.

23. What according to Kalam’s father, is the utility of adversity ?

Ans. According to APJ Abdul Kalam’s father, adversity presents opportunities for introspection.

24. What do human beings do whenever they find themselves alone ?

Ans. According to Kalam’s father, whenever human beings find themselves alone, they look for someone who can show them the way out.

25. Why do people in distress offer prayers to demonic forces ?

Ans. People in distress offer pryers to demonic forces to appease them.

26. How would Kalam’s father start his day ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam’s father would start his day at 4 a.m. by reading the namaz.

27. What would Kalam’s father do after the namaz ?

Ans. After the namaz, Kalam’s father would walk down to their coconut grove and return with about a dozen coconuts.

28.How long did Kalam’s father maintain a strict routine-bound life ?

Ans. Kalam’s father maintained a strict routine-bound life upto his late sisties.

29. In which special area has Kalam tried to emulate his father ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam has tried to emulate his father in his own world of science and technology.

30. What was revealed to Kalam by his father ?

Ans. Kalam’s father revealed to kalam to the fundamental truths of life.

31. What is Kalam’s opinion about divine power ?

Ans. APJ Abdul Kalam thinks there exists a divine power that can lift us from our confusion, misery, melancholy and failure and guide us to out true place,

32. How far was the Shiva temple from Kalam’s house ?

Ans. The Shiva Temple was about a ten-minute walk from Kalam’s house.

33.How does Kalam describe his appearance ?

Ans. Kalam describe himself as a short boy with rather undistinguished looks.

34. What does every recurrent anguish , longing and desire find ?

Ans. Every recurrent anguish, longing and desire finds its special helper.