october july 11th president india career scientist turned politician born raised studied physics engineering spent decades scientist science administrator mainly involved india civilian space program military missile development efforts came known missile man india work development missile launch vehicle technology played pivotal organizational technical political role india nuclear tests original nuclear test india elected 11th president india support ruling opposition widely referred people president returned civilian life education writing public service single term recipient prestigious awards including india highest civilian honour delivering lecture collapsed died apparent cardiac arrest july aged thousands including national level dignitaries attended funeral ceremony held hometown buried state honours early life education born october tamil muslim family pilgrimage centre island madras presidency father boat owner local mosque mother housewife father owned ferry took hindu pilgrims forth youngest brothers sister family ancestors wealthy traders landowners numerous properties large tracts land business involved trading mainland island sri_lanka pilgrims mainland result family acquired title wooden boat years shortened opening bridge mainland businesses failed family fortune properties lost time apart ancestral home early childhood family poor early age sold newspapers supplement family income school years average grades described bright student strong desire learn spent hours studies especially mathematics completing education higher secondary school went attend affiliated graduated physics moved madras study engineering working senior class project dean dissatisfied lack progress threatened scholarship project finished days met deadline dean later said putting stress asking meet difficult deadline narrowly missed achieving dream fighter pilot placed ninth positions available career scientist graduating joined scientist started career designing small remained choice job committee working renowned space scientist transferred project director india successfully deployed satellite near earth orbit july started work rocket project independently received government approval expanded programme include engineers visited nasa virginia space flight center maryland 1970s 1990s effort develop polar satellite launch vehicle projects proved successful invited witness country nuclear test smiling representative participated development 1970s directed projects sought develop missiles technology successful programme despite disapproval prime minister allotted secret funds projects powers played integral role convincing conceal true nature classified projects research educational leadership brought great prestige 1980s prompted government initiate advanced missile programme scientific adviser defence minister worked suggestion defence minister proposal simultaneous development missiles instead taking planned missiles instrumental getting cabinet approval mission named appointed chief executive played major developing missiles mission including intermediate range missile tactical surface surface missile projects criticised cost time served chief scientific adviser prime minister secretary july december nuclear tests conducted period played intensive political technological role served chief project coordinator testing phase media coverage period country best known nuclear scientist director site test said bomb issuing incorrect report dismissed claims developed low cost named duo designed rugged tablet computer health care rural areas named tablet presidency served 11th president india succeeding won presidential election electoral vote surpassing votes won term lasted july july june power time expressed nominate post president backed candidacy announced support chose seek second term office leaving field clear said announcement overwhelmed internet media asked message thinking message people country june filed nomination papers accompanied senior cabinet colleagues polling presidential election began july parliament state assemblies media claiming election sided affair victory conclusion count held july 11th president easy victory moved sworn july president india honoured india highest civilian honour president earlier recipients later president india scientist bachelor occupy term president known people president saying signing toughest decision taken tenure criticised deciding fate mercy petitions submitted tenure article constitution india president india grant suspend death sentence death row acted mercy plea year tenure president rejecting plea later hanged notable plea terrorist convicted conspiracy december attack sentenced death sentence scheduled carried october pending action mercy plea resulted remaining death row took controversial decision impose president rule september interactive session supported need india keeping view population country end term june expressed willingness consider second term office provided certainty victory presidential election days later decided contest presidential election stating wanted avoid involving political processes support left parties constituents receive renewed mandate nearing term 12th president july media reports april claimed likely nominated second term reports social networking sites witnessed number people supporting potentially backed nomination saying party lend support proposed presidential election month ahead election expressed support days backed leaving solitary supporter june declined contest presidential poll said decision citizens expressed wish reflects love affection people overwhelmed support wish respect want thank trust post presidency leaving office visiting professor honorary fellow chancellor professor academic research institutions india taught information technology technology launched programme youth india called movement central theme defeating corruption criticised civil groups stand supported establishment nuclear power plant accused speaking local people protesters hostile visit perceived pro nuclear scientist unimpressed assurances provided safety features plant death july travelled deliver lecture creating planet earth climbing flight stairs experienced discomfort able enter auditorium brief rest minutes lecture collapsed rushed nearby hospital critical condition arrival lacked pulse signs life despite placed intensive care unit confirmed dead sudden cardiac arrest words aide pal reportedly funny guy following death body helicopter flown morning july air force hercules flight landed air base afternoon received president prime minister chief minister service chiefs laid body body placed gun carriage indian flag taken delhi residence public numerous dignitaries paid homage including prime minister congress president vice president chief minister morning july body wrapped indian flag taken flown air force aircraft arriving airport afternoon body received airport service chiefs national state dignitaries including cabinet ministers governors brief ceremony body flown air force helicopter town taken army truck hometown arriving body displayed open area local bus station allow public pay final respects evening july president laid rest state honours people attended rites including prime minister governor chief ministers reactions india reacted death grief numerous tributes paid president nation social media government india declared seven day state mourning period mark respect president vice president home minister leaders president demise prime minister said death great loss scientific community took india great heights showed way prime minister served prime minister said country lost great human phenomenal contributions promotion self reliance defence technologies worked closely prime minister greatly benefited advice president country life work remembered generations come chairman called colleague great personality gentleman chairman described global leader poor people priority passion convey mind young generation adding death left vacuum fill south asian leaders expressed lauded late statesman government ordered country flags fly half staff death lit butter lamps homage prime minister expressed deep sadness saying leader greatly admired people especially youth india referred people president bangladesh prime minister described rare combination great statesman acclaimed scientist source inspiration young generation termed death loss india chief said nuclear scientist engaged welfare people president afghanistan called inspirational figure millions people noting lot learn life prime minister recalled scientific contributions india lost good friend lost honoured ideal personality president pakistan prime minister pakistan expressed grief death president sri_lanka expressed man firm conviction spirit saw outstanding statesman world death loss india entire world president vice president death naming close friend continue inspiration indians generations south president official visit india presidency termed demise great loss commander chief min expressed behalf government expressed sadness offered prayers calling death loss premier ontario visited numerous occasions expressed deepest respected scientist played critical role development indian space program committed educator inspired millions young people achieve best devoted leader gained support home abroad known people president join canadian families friends neighbours mourning passing respected leader united_states president barack_obama extended deepest people india passing indian president highlighted achievements scientist statesman notably role strengthening india relations increasing space operation nations suitably named people president dedication public service served inspiration millions indians world russian president expressed sincere conveyed sympathy support near dear ones deceased leader government entire people india remarked outstanding personal contribution social economic scientific technical progress india ensuring national security adding remembered consistent closer friendly relations nations lot mutually beneficial russian indian cooperation international leaders including indonesian president malaysian prime minister prime minister president vice president prime minister paid tribute special gesture secretary general united_nations ban visited signed book grief world testament respect inspiration garnered presidency joins people india sending deepest great statesman rest peace ban wrote message personal life youngest siblings eldest sister followed elder brothers aged extremely close elder siblings extended families life regularly send small sums money older relations remaining lifelong bachelor noted integrity simple lifestyle owned television habit rising sleeping personal possessions included books articles clothing player death left possessions went eldest brother survived hindi film portrayed positive influence poor bright boy named honour idol religious spiritual views religion spirituality important life fact spiritual journey subject final book spiritual experiences islam proud practising muslim daily integral life father mosque hometown strictly islamic customs children father impressed young value respect dialogue recalled evening father head priest hindu temple church priest sit hot tea discuss issues concerning island early exposure convinced answers india issues lay dialogue cooperation country religious social political leaders believed respect key islam fond saying great men religion way making friends small people religion fighting tool component widespread popularity diverse groups india enduring aspect legacy embodied elements spiritual cultural traditions india addition faith islamic practice hindu traditions learnt sanskrit read vegetarian enjoyed writing tamil poetry playing south indian string instrument listening music day early speeches parliament president reiterated desire united india stating year met number spiritual leaders religions like work bringing unity minds traditions country describing diverse traditions congress leader stated complete indian embodiment india heritage diversity leader concurred best embodied best cultural spiritual traditions india unity immense diversity evident second book published titled spiritual experiences guru desire meet spiritual leaders help create prosperous spiritual unified india initially led meet hindu guru come consider ultimate spiritual teacher guru meetings fourteen year period took place june described immediately drawn simplicity spiritual purity stated inspired numerous interactions incident occurred day following terrorist attack complex september prayed holy water sites deceased including terrorists demonstrating view human life sacred recalled moved compassion citing incident motivations writing spiritual experiences effect stated transformed ultimate stage spiritual ascent life god orbit manoeuvres required placed final position following death month final book released author pointed passage potentially death writings book india strongly advocated action plan develop india knowledge developed nation year regarded work india nuclear weapons programme way assert india place future identified areas india core integrated action agriculture food processing education healthcare information communication technology infrastructure reliable quality electric power surface transport infrastructure parts country self reliance critical technologies areas closely inter related advanced coordinated way lead food economic national security describes moment life asked guru india realise vision development answer add sixth area developing faith god spirituality overcome current climate crime corruption spiritual vision years life describes final book spiritual experiences published month death reported considerable demand south_korea translated versions books authored took active interest developments field science technology including research programme developing supported open source technology software predicting use free software large scale bring benefits information technology people set target interacting students years resignation post scientific adviser explained feel comfortable company young people particularly high school students henceforth intend share experiences helping imagination preparing work developed india road map available dream let student light sky victory fire heart awards honours received honorary universities government india honoured work role scientific advisor government received india highest civilian honour contribution scientific research defence technology india recipient recognize excellence management leadership space related project following death received numerous tributes state government announced birthday october observed state youth renaissance day state government instituted gold medal certificate award awarded annually independence day beginning residents state achievements promoting scientific growth welfare students occasion birth day given topics expression series prime minister released commemorative postal stamps president india birth anniversary celebrations october educational scientific institutions educational scientific institutions locations renamed named honour following death agricultural college renamed state government day funeral state government announced proposed science city renamed state government new research institute attached new academic complex new science centre india launched september applicants announced friday march fellowship enable indian phd students post doctoral researchers work host institutions period months fellowship operated programme headquartered lived years renamed technological university death island national missile test site renamed september awards honours books documentaries writings developments fluid mechanics india vision new millennium new_york autobiography ignited minds power india viking sparks paintings inspiring thoughts spirit empowered nation born journey turning points journey challenges india target billion pal december publisher books journey titled transforming dreams actions august manifesto change sequel india july forge future inspiring october scientific pathways brighter future pal spiritual experiences june advantage india challenge opportunity pal president visionary india little dream documentary film effect years president days george
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam