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WINGS OF FIRE
Unit 1(chapters 1 to 4)
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam ,usually known as Dr A P J Abdul Kalam was the eleventh president
of India.He was popularly known as people‘s President. He was a nuclear scientist by profession and was
regarded the father of Indian missile development. His name is associated with the development of India‘s
first satellite launch vehicle SLV-3 and Agni missile. He is a voracious reader, writes poetry and plays rudra
veena. He has received many honorary doctorates and was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1981, Padma
Vibhushan in 1990 and Bharat Ratna in 1997.Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds, India2020, A vision for the
millennium were some of his works. Wings of Fire is his autobiography .He gives his triumphs and
tribulations and pays glowing tribute to his colleagues, friends and everyone who helped in realizing the
collective dreams .He says that everyone is born with a divine fire in oneself and one should give wings to
this fire.
CHILDHOOD
Kalam was born on 15 october 1931 into a middle class Tamil family,in the island town of Rameswaram.
His was a very secured childhood both materially and emotionally. His father Jainulabdeen and mother
Ashiamma were an ideal couple. They were very generous and Kalam learnt from them- honesty, kindness,
discipline and a deep rooted faith in God. Jainulabdeen was neither highly educated nor very rich. He was a
man of principles and avoided comforts and luxuries but essential needs were well provided for. They lived
in their ancestral house situated in the Rameswaram‘s mosque street. The famous Shiva temple was about a
ten minute walk from their house. It being a place of two shrines being side by side, people of both religions
lived amicably as neighbours. The stories from Ramayana and Mohammad Prophet‘s life formed Kalam‘s
bedtime stories. He was brought up imbibing both the cultures.
EARLY INFLUENCES:-
JAINULABDEEN:-
Jainulabdeen observed daily namaaz and would help the people by giving them
the sacred water. But he was so humble and said that he was only a channel or a helper. He asked people to
thank Allah for his mercy and generosity.He was able to explain complicated spiritual concepts in simple
Tamil.
He used to say that one moves beyond his body when he prays and that troubles
and adversity come to teach people. He said that fear prevents one‘s hopes from being
fulfilled. He also said that people in distress need consolation. Praying to solve problems is a wrong
approach, he says. One should pray for self reliance and happiness comes from within and not from external
sources.
Kalam was greatly influenced by his father‘s philosophy. He saw his father put
his philosophy into practice. Jainulabdeen started a brisk business of ferrying pilgrims from Rameswaram to
Dhanushkodi and back. A severe cyclone struck the Rameswaram coast and the boat was wrecked in the
strong winds. Jainulabdeen bore the loss in calmness. He was more concerned about a greater tragedy –a
train full of passengers had flushed away when the Pamban Bridge had collapsed. Kalam says that he learnt
both from his father‘s attitude and the actual disaster, how to cope up with difficulties in life. When Kalam
seeked his father‘s permission to go for higher studies, Jainulabdeen permitted him telling that neither their
love nor their needs would bind him.
AHMED JALLALUDDIN:
Jallaluddin was Kalam‘s relative. He helped Jainulabdeen in building the boat. He
was 15 years older than Kalam and used to call him Azad. He later married Kalam‘s sister Zohara.He had
not much schooling as his family couldn‘t afford it.He always encouraged Kalam to excel and seemed to get
a great deal of satisfaction from Kalam‘s academic success. Jallaluddin was the only person on the island
who could write in English.He wrote letters for everyone who needed and no other person could match him
in his knowledge and awareness of the outside world. Jallaluddin was a major influence on Kalam‘s life at
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that stage.He talked to Kalam on many things –spiritual concepts,scientific discoveries,contemporary writing
and literature,strides made by medical science etc.It was he who helped Kalam look beyond the limited
horizons of his life.Jallaluddin used to communicate with God as if God were
listening to him.Later,he used to tell Kalam the incidents in World War 2 and Kalam would try to trace them
in the news paper.He travelled with Kalam to enrol him in Schwartz High School and to arrange for his
boarding there.He spoke to Kalam about the power of positive thinking when Kalam didn‘t take to the new
setting.He said to the author to strive to control his thoughts and through these to influence his destiny.
SAMSUDDIN
Samsuddin was Kalam‘s cousin who helped in shaping his boyhood.He was the
only distributor for the news paper Dinamani.Kalam used to look at the pictures in the papers before
Samsuddin delivered them.At the time of second World War,the train halt at Rameswaram was suspended
and the bundles of news paper were tossed out of the moving train,onto the road between Rameswaram and
Dhanushkodi.Samsuddin needed a helping hand and he chose Kalam for it.Thus Samsuddin gave the
opportunity to earn and Kalam says that he could feel the thrill and pride of his first earnings even after
many years.Kalam says that he was benifitted from his interaction with Jallaluddin and Samsuddin,whose
wisdom was based on intuition rather than instruction.He admits that whatever creativity he has displayed in
his later life was inspired by their presence in his childhood. He also says that he had acquired a practical
bent of mind because of these two friends.
THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Kalam was 8 years old at the time of second world war.He says that the war
influenced him indirectly by providing him with his earnings.there was a great demand for tamarind seeds
then.Kalam used to collect and sell them which would fetch him the then princely amount of one anna.The
war came to an end and the whole country was filled with an optimism.The optimism affected Kalam and he
seeked his father‘s permission to go Ramanathapuram to study.
PAKSHI LAKSHMANA SASTRY
He was the high priest of the Shiva temple in Rameswaram.He was also a
close friend of his father‘s.The two people used to discuss spiritual matters .They had similar thoughts
regarding spirituality despite of the differences in their traditions,mode of worship and dressing.Ramanatha
Sastry,the son of Lakshmana Sastry was a good friend of Kalam.When Kalam was in 5th standard,a new
teacher had come and he was unable to tolerate a muslim boy sitting beside a brahmin.He asked Kalam to go
back and sit there.When Lakshmana Sastry came to know this,he summoned the teacher and asked him not
to spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children.Kalam
remembers Lakshmana Sastry‘s words in many situations.
SIVASUBRAMANIA IYER
He was Kalam‘s science teacher at Rameswaram.He was an orthodox brahmin
in his upbringing but was a rebel at heart.He encouraged Kalam to develop his skills so that he could
compete with the highly educated people in big cities. He also invited Kalam home for a meal.He served
Kalam himself, as his wife refused to do so and by the next time,he was able to convince his wife that there
is nothing wrong in it. Sivasubramanya Iyer was able to break some social barriers that prevailed in their
small town. He rooted the idea of higher studies in Kalam‘s mind.
STR MANICKAM
He was a militant nationalist who had a huge personal library.He encouraged
Kalam to read more and more.Kalam acquired a growing love for reading and this habit has continued all
through his life.
IYADURAI SOLOMON
He was author‘s teacher at Schwartz High School.He was warm and open
minded and made his students feel comfortable in class.He was an ideal guide and a great teacher who
instilled in children a sense of their own worth.He has been Kalam‘s mentor and raised his self-esteem.He
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said,`With faith,you can change your destiny.` He taught Kalam that one should desire intensely in order to
make anything
happen.Not only that,one should be completely certain that it would happen.Kalam came to know that this
kind of firm belief is not only a strong motivating force,but it also does things happen.Iyadurai Solomon
convinced Kalam that he too could aspire to become whatever he wished.It‘s because of the confidence he
raised ,Kalam has decided to go for further studies.Iyadurai Solomon has been Kalam‘s ideal guide and
mentor.
EDUCATION AT ST.JOSEPH’S COLLEGE
Kalam arrived at St.Joseph‘s College in1950,to study for the intermediate
examination.He stayed on the campus for 4 years and had a wonderful time with his two room mates,one
being a brahmin and the other a christian.He acquired a taste for English literature and developed a keen
interest in physics.He joined the B.Sc. course as he had no knowledge of other courses.He came to know that
Physics,though fascinating, was not his subject and that he should take up Engineering to realise his dreams
and that he should have done that straight after the Intermediate exam.He applied for admission at the
Madras Institute of Technology(MIT).
Kalam managed to get on the list but the fact was that he couldn‘t meet the
expenditure.Zohara,Kalam‘s sister,mortgaged her chain and bangles to help him out.Kalam promised
himself that he would redeem them with his own earnings.
THE THREE TEACHERS AT MIT
Kalam‘s curiosity was aroused by two decommissioned aircrafts which were put
on display to demonstrate the various subsystems of flying machines.He felt a strange
attraction towards them and used to spend a lot of time sitting there.He chose Aeronautical Engineering in
his 2nd year.He had a clear goal now that he‘s going to fly aircraft. Kalam says that three teachers shaped his
thinking and their instructions
formed the foundation on which he later built his professional career. They were professors
Sponder,KAVPandalai and Narasingha Rao.They were distinct personalities,different in many ways but
sharing a common quality-the capacity of feeding their students‘ intellectual hunger with brilliance and
untiring zeal.
Prof.Sponder taught technical aerodynamics.He was an Austrian who hated
Germans but worked with them despite it.He was always calm,energetic and in control of himself.He kept
himself updated of the latest technologies and wanted his students to do the same.Kalam consulted him first
when he thought of opting for Aeronautical Engineering.Prof.Sponder observed that the real trouble with
many students was not lack of educational opportunities.The trouble was in their failure to choose their field
of study with sufficient care. He told the author that one should never worry about one‘s foundations.He also
said that one should have a natural ability and passion for one‘s chosen field.Kalam had the most cherished
memory from college,related to Prof.Sponder.He asked Kalam to sit beside him for the class photograph
telling that Kalam was his best student and he also said that he would heap honour on his teachers.
Prof.Pandalai taught aero-structure design and analysis.He was a friendly
and enthusiastic teacher,whose approach was fresh.Kalam says that he unlocked the secrets of structural
engineering to them.He was a man of great intellectual integrity and learning with no signs of arrogance.His
students were free to disagree with him in classroom discussions.
Prof.Narasingha Rao was a mathematician .He taught theoretical
aerodynamics.His teaching made the author prefer mathematical physics to any other
subject.He advised the author on how to prove equations in aerodynamics and thus helped him in acquiring
the skill. Kalam says that an amalgamation of information took place in his mind and he says that he
acquired this composite knowledge because of these three lecturers.
FINAL YEAR AT MIT
It was a year of transition.Kalam was assigned a project to design a low level
attack aircraft along with four other students.He was put in charge of drawing its
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aerodynamic design.Prof.Srinivasan,the then director of MIT declared the work
disappointing.He ordered Kalam to complete it within three days.He also warned that his scholarship would
be cancelled if he wouldn‘t submit it in time.Kalam was dumbstruck at this situation as the scholarship was
his lifeline.He strove hard putting all his efforts .When he was about to complete the task,Prof.Srinivasan
dropped in to see the progress.The work was appreciated by the professor. Kalam also enjoyed extra-
curricular work. He won an essay writing
competition. The article he wrote was,`Let us make our own aircraft`.
PREPARING TO START A CAREER
Kalam went as a trainee to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL) at Bangalore.The theory he learnt in
classroom was practically applied.He found the technicians working ,on the basis of their experience. He got
two different job opportunities,both close to his long-standing dream of flying.One was a career in the Indian
Air Force(IAF),and the other,at the Directorate of Technical Development and Production(DTD&P),of the
Ministry of Defence.Kalam started his first long journey to Delhi and Dehradun to attend the interviews. The
questions at the DTD&P(Air) were routine and didn‘t challenge his knowledge of subject.He was confident
that he had done well.Then he proceeded to Dehradun for his interview at the Air Force selection
Board.There, the emphasis was on personality,physical fitness and ability to speak well.Kalam was very
much excited,confident and determined.But at the same time,he was so nervous,anxious and tense.He was
disappointed as he was not selected.It took some time for Kalam to understand that he missed the chance.He
had to overcome his disappointment somehow.He decided to go on a journey to soothe his mind.He went to
Rishikesh which seemed to be an ideal place with its peaceful
atmosphere. Kalam met Swami Sivananda in his Ashram and told him of his
unsuccessful attempt to join the IAF and his long-cherished desire to fly. He comforted Kalam with his
powerful words to accept his destiny.He cosoled him telling that he might not be destined to become a
pilot.He said that one‘s destiny is pre-determined .He asked Kalam to forget the failure and think of it as a
step that leads to his path. Kalam reminded his father‘s words that learning to cope with setbacks and
failures is a part of life. He returned to Delhi and enquired about the outcome of his interview.He was
handed the appointment letter and he joined the next day at DTD&P(Air) as senior scientific assistant on the
basic salary of Rs.250 per month. Kalam no more did feel depressed or unhappy at his failure to enter the
IAF.He also realized that although he was not flying the aeroplanes,he was helping to make them airworthy.
Wings of fire
UNIT 2 (Chapters 5 to 8)
Kalam was posted at the Technical Centre .He carried out a design assignment on
supersonic target aircraft and the work was praised by the director .He was sent to the
Aircraft and Armament Testing Unit (A&ATU) at Kanpur .On his return to Delhi, Kalam was given a new
target which was carried out successfully .He later carried out the design and development of a vertical take-
off and landing system. Three years passed and Kalam was posted to the Aeronautical Development
Establishment (ADE), which was just born in Bangalore.
THE NANDI PROJECT
Kalam & his team were given three years to design and develop an indigenous
hovercraft prototype, a Ground Equipment Machine (GEM).The project was bigger than their capabilities
.None of them were experienced .No designs or standard parts were available. There was not much material
available to read .There were no experienced people to consult. Kalam decided to go ahead with the limited
information and resources available. They moved to the actual model after spending a few months on the
drawing board. Things started moving slowly and there seemed some progress. VK Krishna Menon, the then
Defence minister of India, was keenly interested in the progress of their small project. He felt that it was a
stepping stone to India producing defence equipment within the country. His confidence set the tone for their
enthusiasm. But Kalam had a bitter experience from his senior colleagues. They were not satisfied with the
experiments done with the limited parts. Kalam and his team were called a group of odd inventors trying to
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do something beyond the reality. They thought that it was an impossible dream. But, this type of opinion on
them fired the ever-optimistic minds of Kalam and his team. The Defence minister used to make some
routine visits and find out the progress. The hovercraft was named Nandi. The hovercraft, in its form and
finish went beyond their expectations. Later, the Defence minister took a ride in it putting aside all the safety
instructions. Kalam was confident enough that he would be able to fly the machine he had created and so
disregarded the silent order of the group captain. It was a smooth ride and the minister was so pleased. He
said to Kalam that the basic problems were now solved and that he should develop a more powerful prime
mover in which he would take a second ride. The project was successfully completed .The director of ADE,
Dr. OP Mediratta was very much pleased with the achievement of creating a successful working hovercraft.
Unfortunately, by that time, Krishna Menon was out of office and in the new government, not many people
shared his dream. The project had to face many controversies and unpleasant situations and it was finally
shelved. Kalam feels bad that we still import the hovercrafts, depending on outside technology. The setback
in this Nandi project was a new experience for him. He put his heart and soul in it and so was not able to
bear that it could not be used practically. He was disappointed and disillusioned. He was so depressed that he
started to think that there is a limit to everything and one cannot go beyond it. In this period of uncertainty
and confusion,
he recollected the words of Lakshmana Sastry, ―Seek the truth and the truth shall set you free.‖ One day Dr.
Mediratta inquired Kalam about the state of the hovercraft and
asked him to demonstrate it for an important guest, the next day. The visitor was a tall, handsome, bearded
man who asked Kalam several questions and asked him to give a ride in the machine. He was none other
than Prof.MGK Menon, director of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
INTERVIEW AT INCOSPAR
Kalam received a call from the INdian COmmittee for SPAce Research
(INCOSPAR).INCOSPAR was formed out of TIFR to organize space research in India. Kalam went to
Bombay to attend the interview. He reminded himself that the best way to win was to not feel that desperate
need to win. He decided to take things as they came. He felt that he could perform well if he were relaxed
and free from doubt.Kalam was interviewed by Prof.Sarabhai along with Prof.Menon and Mr.Saraf.
Kalam says that he had sensed their warmth and friendliness as he entered the room. He says that none of
them were arrogant and proud. They didn‘t show any superiority feeling which many interviewers exhibit.
Kalam was immediately struck by Prof.Sarabhai. He questioned Kalam in such a manner that it was an
exploration of the inner capabilities and possibilities of Kalam. The entire encounter seemed to be a total
moment of truth to Kalam. He also felt that his dream would be fulfilled as it seemed to be a part of their
bigger dream. Kalam was absorbed as a rocket engineer at INCOSPAR. It was a turning point in Kalam‘s
life.
WORK AND ATMOSPHERE AT INCOSPAR
Kalam felt the atmosphere at INCOSPAR to be entirely different from that at
DTD&P (Air).No one bothered about their designations and cadres. There was no need to give explanations.
No one showed their authority or aggressive feelings. A friendly atmosphere prevailed there.
THUMBA EQUATORIAL ROCKET LAUNCHING STATION(TERLS)
INCOSPAR took the decision of setting up its Equatorial Rocket Launching Station at
Thumba, a sleepy fishing village near Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) in Kerala. It was chosen to be the
suitable location by Dr. Chitnis as it was very close to the earth‘s magnetic equator. This was the beginning
of modern rocket-based research in India.
The site selected measured about 600 acres and there stood a large church within
the area. The then collector K Madhavan Nair had successfully carried on the task of
acquiring the land with the co-operation of the bishop Right Rev. Dr. Dereria. Soon, the executive engineer
of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), RD John had transformed the entire area. Thus, the St.
Mary Magdalene church housed the first office of the Thumba Space Centre. The prayer room was Kalam‘s
first laboratory and the bishop‘s room was his design and drawing office. Kalam was asked to attend a six-
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month training programme on sounding rocket launching techniques at the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) work centres in the USA. He took some time off to visit Rameswaram before his
journey. Jainulabdeen was very pleased to hear the news and organized a special namaaz. Jallaluddin and
Samsuddin went to Bombay to bid good-bye to Kalam. When Jallaluddin said that they had faith and
confidence in him and his capabilities, Kalam was unable to control his tears.
WORK AT NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)
Kalam joined work at NASA‘s research centre in Virginia. From there, he went to
Maryland, to the Goddard Space Flight Centre. He was impressed by the organizational structure of those
institutions in the US. They were experienced people and they were not suffering from false pride. Kalam
says that false pride was a big barrier to effective growth in several Indian institutions. He says that this
pride was widespread in many organizations. It stops managers from listening to their subordinates. Kalam
always thought that one can never be creative and give good results if he is disrespected and humiliated.
Kalam says that a fine line is to be drawn between firmness and harshness, strong
leadership and bullying, discipline and vindictiveness. He suggests us not to put off things and asks us to
learn to solve the problems. It helps us in distinguishing between success and failure and also makes us
depend on our inborn courage and wisdom.
THE SPECIAL PAINTING AT NASA CENTER
Kalam went to the east coast of Virginia towards the end of his visit. The
sounding rocket programme undertaken by NASA was situated there. In the reception lobby, a painting was
displayed which didn‘t drag Kalam‘s attention at first. He felt that it was a normal painting. It depicted a
battle scene, with a few rockets flying in the background. The soldiers launching the rockets seemed to be
south Indians.
A few days later, Kalam examined the painting very closely and he came to know
that it was the army of Tipu Sultan fighting the British East India Company. He felt that it was an honour
given to the foresight of an Indian ruler but felt unhappy that the fact was not known in our country. Tipu
Sultan was the first Indian ruler who had used the rockets in the 18th century. The British forces captured
more than 700 rockets and the subsystems of 900 rockets when Tipu Sultan was killed. These rockets were
taken to England and were subjected by the British, which we call ‗reverse engineering‘ today. Indian
rocketry came to a stand still with the death of Tipu and was revived 150 years later in an independent India.
THE LAUNCH OF NIKE-APACHE
India‘s first rocket launch took place on 21 November 1963, soon after Kalam
had returned from NASA.It was a sounding rocket called NIKE-APACHE. It had been made at NASA and
was assembled in the church building at Thumba. The launch of this rocket was with a few tense moments.
The only equipment available to transport the rocket to the launch pad was a truck and a manually operated
hydraulic crane. There was a leak in the hydraulic system which was managed by the collective muscle
power of Kalam and his team. The two persons that had played an active and crucial role in the
NIKEAPACHE launch were D Eswaradas and R Arvamudan. Eswaradas undertook the rocket assembly and
arranged the launch. Arvamudan was in charge of radar, telemetry and ground support. Kalam was in charge
of rocket integration and safety. The launch was smooth and problem-free and they obtained excellent flight
idea. They felt a sense of pride and accomplishment.
THE ROHINI SOUNDING ROCKET (RSR) PROGRAMME
The Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station was further developed, in
active collaboration with France, the USA and the USSR. The real journey of the Indian space programme
began with the Rohini sounding
rocket (RSR) programme. Under the RSR programme, a family of operational sounding rockets was
developed. Several rockets have been launched for various scientific and technological studies. The
development of these rockets made India capable of producing fully indigenous sounding rockets as well as
their high performance solid propellants. This development of Indian rocketry in the 20th century can be seen
as the revival of the 18th century vision of Tipu. Rocket technology had made great strides abroad.
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Konstantin Tsiolkovsky in Russia (1903), Robert Goddard in USA(1914) and Herman Oberth in
Germany(1923) gave new dimensions to rocketry. During World War 2, Wernher von Braun‘s team in Nazi
Germany produced the effective v-2 short-range ballistic missile. After the war, both the
USA and the USSR captured their share of German rocket engineers which lead to the deadly Arms Race
that lasted for decades. Rocketry was reborn in India as a result of the technological vision of Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru. Prof. Vikram Sarabhai took on the challenge of giving physical dimensions to Nehru‘s
dream. Their vision was very clear….India must be second to none in the application of advanced
technologies.
THE SITUATION AT INCOSPAR IN THE EARLY SIXTIES
Kalam shares with us the situation at INCOSPAR in the early sixties. They were a group of young and
inexperienced persons who were very active energetic and
enthusiastic. They were given the task of shaping the Indian spirit of self-reliance in the field of science and
technology. The particular task was to shape the Indian spirit of space research. Their biggest qualifications
at INCOSPAR were not their degrees and training but Prof. Sarabhai‘s faith in their capabilities.
PROF. VIKRAM SARABHAI
Vikram Srabhai was born into an affluent family of industrialists in Ahmedabad. As a research scholar, he
worked under Sir C V Raman at the Indian Institute of Science. He was the main person in setting up the
Physical Research Laboratory in Ahmedabad, in 1947. He set up India‘s first rocket launching station
(TERLS) at Thumba. He believed in the practical application of science and its benefits for the common
man. He initiated India‘s space programme when he undertook the launch of an indigenously built Indian
satellite. TERLS was renamed the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre after his death.
KALAM’S FIRST MEET WITH PROF.SARABHAI
Kalam first met Prof. Sarabhai, when he attended the interview at INCOSPAR. He was very much impressed
by Sarabhai‘s friendly behavior and attitude. Sarabhai
posed the questions to know the capabilities of Kalam and his ability to work for a longer time goals. At that
moment, Kalam decided to follow the foot-steps of Sarabhai in his future endeavors.
1. AN INNOVATOR
Kalam says that prof. Sarabhai was an innovator.He was keen on trying new
ideas and he liked the young people to do the same. At that time it was not all that easy to provide latest
research facilities to the scientists. India had neither the infrastructure nor the money to use sophisticated
technology in space research. So, Prof. Sarabhai wanted to compensate this by recruiting young people to
develop space programme. He believed that young scientists would bring novel ideas with them which are
important for new development in scientific research. He has the wisdom and judgment to realize not only if
something was well done, but also when it was time to stop.
2. A MAN OF OPTIMISM
Prof.Sarabhai‘s was very optimistic and he spreads this optimism to all. The news of his coming to Thumba
would electrify the people and all the laboratories, workshops and design offices would be on continuous
work. People would work round the clock to show something new to Prof. Sarabhai.
3. AN EFFECTIVE LEADER
He believed in an open and free exchange of views. He knew that the goal should be
clear to the team members also. He felt that effective leadership was impossible without collective
understanding of a problem. He once told Kalam that his job was to make decisions but it was equally
important to see that those decisions were accepted by his team members.
4. A GOOD DECISION-MAKER
Prof. Sarabhai took a series of decisions that have given life to many scientists in
India. He wanted to create new frontiers in the field of science and technology in India. He shared his dream
of an Indian Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV) after the successful launch of Nike-Apache. His decision to
make our own SLVs and our own satellites –that too simultaneously, in a multi-dimensional fashion was
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remarkable. He discussed the matter with the scientists in different organizations at different locations. The
most significant achievement was to establish and maintain nationwide trust in the plan. He also had a plan
to develop a RATO system for military aircraft.
5. A MAN OF BRILLIANCE
Prof. Sarabhai was a man of high intelligence. He utilized each person‘s knowledge and skills. He used to
make every member get involved in the work. If he found any one of the members with excessive work, he
used to reduce the pressure on them. If any one was without required skill or capability, he used to help them
to perform better. He very well knows how to bring out the inner capabilities of his people. He recognised
that Kalam had the quality of getting the work done not by using the authority but by persuading people to
do it. That‘s why he assigned Kalam the task of providing interface support to payload scientists.
6. A SUCCESSFUL PERSON
Prof. Sarabhai was an unorthodox person in his approach. He always used to get
unusual thoughts. He also emitted sudden flashes of inspiration. He was able to run the country‘s space
research establishment…under-staffed and over-worked…but in a successful manner.
7. A WODERFUL ADMINISTRATOR
Prof. Sarabhai had the great ability of coordinating the work of various organizations for achieving a goal.
He was a wonderful administrator who selected the right man at the right place in India‘s space programme.
He reposed faith in the capabilities of the staff. All his plans laid emphasis on self-reliance and indigenous
technology.
KHALIL GIBRAN
Kalam often read Khalil Gibran. He always found his words full of wisdom. ―Bread baked without love is a
bitter bread, that feeds but half a man‘s hunger.‖ Those who cannot work with their hearts achieve a hollow,
half-hearted success that only breeds bitterness within. If a writer secretly prefers to be a lawyer or a doctor,
his written words will feed only half the hunger of his readers. If a teacher is
interested in working a business, his teaching will meet only half the need for knowledge of his students. If
a scientist hates science, his performance will satisfy only half the needs of his mission.
PROF.ODA
Kalam had worked with several people who work dedicatedly. He gives here an
incident that shows Prof. Oda‘s dedication towards work. Kalam had to interact with
scientists from TIFR, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL), the Physical Research
Laboratory (PRL) and with the payload scientists from the USA, the USSR, France, West Germany and
Japan. There are different types of pay loads – x-ray payloads to look at the stars; payloads to analyse the gas
composition of the upper atmosphere; sodium payloads to find out wind conditions, its direction and
velocity; and ionospheric payloads to explore the different layers of the atmosphere. Prof. Oda was an x-ray
payload scientist from the Institute of Space and Aeronautical Sciences (ISAS), Japan. Kalam describes him
as a tiny man with towering personality and radiant eyes. He insisted on using the timers he had brought
from Japan. He stuck on to his stand that the Indian timers must be replaced by the Japanese ones. Kalam
yielded to his suggestion and replaced the timers even though he felt them to be flimsy. The rocket took off
elegantly but the telemetry signal reported mission failure on account of timer malfunction. Prof. Oda was so
upset that tears welled up in his eyes. Kalam was stunned by the intensity of his response.
ROHINI AND MENAKA
Kalam was also involved with building subsystems like payload housing and
jettisonable nose cones. Two Indian rockets Rohini and Menaka were born at Thumba. It was a huge
achievement that the Indian payloads no longer needed to be launched by French rockets. The first Rohini-
75 rocket was launched from TERLS on 20 November 1967.
V S NARAYANAN
Once, Prof. Sarabhai asked Kalam to meet him at 3.30 a.m. in Delhi. At that time,
Kalam happened to go through a book in which George Bernard shaw said that the world gets progress
because of a few men who try to adapt the world to themselves. It was also said that a project manager
should learn to live with uncertainty and ambiguity. Kalam was introduced to VS Narayanan by Prof.
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Sarabhai. Narayanan was group captain from the IAF. Prof. Sarabhai unfolded his plan of developing a
rocket-assisted takeoff system (RATO) for military aircraft. That would help our fighter planes to take off
from the short runways in the Himalaya. They went to the Tilpat range, on the outskirts of New Delhi. The
IAF was in dire need of a large number of RATO motors for their S-22 and HF- 24 aircraft. Narayanan was
a great admirer of the strong approach of the Russian missile development programme. He also had
tremendous enthusiasm for indigenous guided missiles. Narayanan obtained 75 lakhs as funding for the
RATO task. He used to say that hewill provide whatever needed but not any extra time.
THE TWO SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS
Two significant developments occurred during the subsequent work on RATO
motors. The first was the release of a ten-year profile for space research in the country, prepared by Prof.
Sarabhai. It was a theme meant for open discussions. It‘s based on early ideas born at INCOSPAR. It
included the utilization of satellites for television and developmental education; and meteorological
observations and remote sensing for the management of natural resources. To this was added
development and launch of Satellite Launch Vehicles for low earth orbit and
The
upgrading and improvement of Indian satellites.
The
Today, we in India take most of these developments, which is testimony to the visionary qualities of Prof.
Sarabhai. The active international aid was stopped in the new plan and the emphasis (importance) was laid
on self-reliance and indigenous technologies. The second development was the formation of a Missile
panel in the Ministry of Defence. Narayanan and Kalam were inducted as members. The idea of making
missiles in India was exciting to them and they spent hours studying the missiles made in various
technologically advanced countries. Kalam distinguishes a sounding rocket from a satellite launching vehicle
and these from a missile.
Sounding rockets are normally used to probe the near-earth environment, including the upper regions of
the atmosphere. They can carry a variety of scientific payloads to a range of altitudes but they cannot impart
the final velocity needed to orbit the payload.
A launch vehicle is designed to inject a technological payload, or satellite, into the orbit. The final stage of
a launch vehicle provides the necessary velocity for a satellite to enter its orbit.
This is a complex operation requiring on-board guidance and control systems.
A missile is a more complex system. In addition to the large terminal velocity and on-board guidance and
control systems, it must have the capability to home onto its target. When its target is fast-moving and
capable of changing its direction, a missile should also be able to carry out target-tracking functions.
JAYA CHANDRA BABU
India was left with no choice in the matter of achieving self-reliance in military
hardware and weapon system after the two wars with china and Pakistan. A large number of surface-to-air
missiles were obtained from the USSR. Nothing indigenous was available. A long list of equipment to be
imported was prepared. But Kalam was unhappy because a poor country like India couldnot afford it. Then
he happened to discuss this issue with his young colleague Jaya Chandra Babu. The next day, Babu
suggested a few relaxations such as
financial approval by a single person
travel for all people on work
air
lifting of goods by air-cargo
sub-contracting to the private sector
placement of orders on the basis of technical competence and
smooth and quick accounting procedure.
Babu said that those would streamline their working and the RATO system can be made without importing
equipment. Those demands were presented to Prof. Sarabhai after weighing all the pros and cons (all the
arguments for and against). He approved the proposals without a second thought, convinced of its merits.
Thus, Babu had highlighted the importance of clever business practices in
developmental work. Kalam says that he could never forget Babu‘s common sense in
financial matters.
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ENGLISH—UNIT 3&4
WINGS OF FIRE (CH.9 TO 16)
THE EVENT THAT BROUGHT GREAT SATISFACTION TO KALAM AND HIS TEAM IN 1969
India was dreaming of making its own satellites. In February 1969, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited
Thumba to dedicate Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) to the International Space
Science Community. On this occasion, she commissioned the country‘s first filament winding machine
initiating the work at the launch station. This event brought great satisfaction to Abdul Kalam and his team
consisting of CR Satya, PN Subramanian and MN Satyanarayana.
SELECTION OF SRIHARIKOTA ISLAND
In 1969 Prof. Sarabhai decided to build and launch our own satellites. He made an aerial survey of the east
coast to find a suitable site for the rocket launching station. He was particular about choosing a site on the
east coast. This would enable the launch vehicle to take full advantage of the earth‘s west to east rotation.
Thus he selected Sriharikota island, a hundred kilometres north of Chennai. The SHAR Rocket Launch
Station was thus born. The island was crescent shaped with a width of 8 kilometres. It lies alongside the
coastline. Sriharikota is as big as Chennai in area.
THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE YEAR 1968
Indian Rocket Society was formed.
The
INCOSPAR was reconstituted as an advisory body under the INSA(Indian National Science Academy)
ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) was created under the DAE (Department of Atomic Energy)
to conduct space research in the country.
PROF. SARABHAI’S DREAM PROJECT
During 1968, Prof. Sarabhai formed a team to give shape to his dream of an Indian SLV. He called it SLV-3.
Abdul Kalam was chosen to be a project leader. He was also given the additional responsibility of designing
the fourth stage of SLV-3. The task of designing the other three stages of SLV-3 was given to Dr. VR
Gowarikar, MR Kurup and AE Muthunayagam.
KALAM AS A PROJECT MANAGER
Kalam faced urgent and conflicting demands on his time after taking up the leadership of executing the
SLV-3 project. He had to attend to committee work, material procurement, correspondence, reviews,
briefings and the need to be informed on a wide range of subjects. He used to prepare a general schedule and
emphasise two or three things he would like to complete on each day. Once in the office, he would clear the
table first. Then within the next ten minutes he would examine all the papers and divide them into different
categories, namely, high priority, low priority, can be kept pending and reading material. Then he would put
the high priority papers before him and keep all papers out of sight.
COMPONENTS REQUIRED TO BUILD SLV-3
To build SLV-3 as many as 250 sub-assemblies and 44 major subsystems were identified during the design.
The actual list of materials went up to more than one million components. It was a complex programme. It
needs a project implementation, strategy. It was estimated that seven to ten years were required
to build SLV-3.
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF HARDWARE FOR SLV-3
Prof. Sarabhai hand-picked a team to give a form to his dream of an Indian SLV, known as SLV-3. Abdul
Kalam was the project leader. He was given the additional responsibility of designing the fourth stage of
SLV-3. Dr. V.R.Gowarikar, MR Kurup and AE Muthunayagan were given the tasks of designing the other
three stages. UR Rao and G Madhvan Nair were given the responsibility for developing a
telecommand system for SLV-3.
Gradually hardware began to emerge from the drawing boards. Each member of Kalam‘s team had a unique
contribution to make. Sasi Kumar built a very effective network of fabrication work centers. Namboodri and
Pillai spent their days and nights developing four rocket motors simultaneously. MSR Dev and Sandlas drew
up meticulous plans for mechanical and electrical integration of the vehicle. Madhavan
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Nair and Murthy examined the electronic systems and engineered them into sub-systems wherever it was
possible. US Singh brought up the first launch ground system. He also chalked out a detailed work plan for
the flight trials. Dr. Sundararajan closely monitored mission objectives and updated the systems.
PROF. SARABHAI’S APPROACH TO MISTAKES
Prof. Sarabhai believed that mistakes are inevitable but generally manageable. He was a visionary who used
errors to encourage new ideas. Kalam later came to know that the best way to prevent errors is to anticipate
them. But, the failure of the timer circuit led to the birth of a rocket engineering laboratory.
PROF. SARABHAI’S DEATH
Prof. Sarabhai‘s sudden and untimely demise on 30 December 1971 was a great blow to Abdul Kalam
personally and a huge loss to Indian science as a whole. Kalam considered him the mahatma of Indian
science-a towering figure whose vision defined the country‘s space programme. He generated leadership
qualities in his team and inspired them through both idea and example. As a tribute to the man to whom it
owed its existence, the whole complex at Thumba merged together to form an integrated space Centre and
christened the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC). Dr. Brahm Prakash took over as the first director of
VSSC.
HANDS-ON; HANDS-OFF APPROACH
Kalam says that each member in the SLV-3 project team was expert in his or her own field. So they valued
independence. A project leader should adopt a delicate balance between hands-on and hands-off approach to
manage the performance of such specialists. The hands-on approach means taking an active interest in the
team‘s work, on a very regular basis. The hands-off approach trusts team members and recognizes their need
for autonomy, to carry out their roles as they see fit. It depends on their self-motivation. When a leader goes
too far with the hands-on approach, he is seen as an anxious and interfering type. Getting too hands-off can
be seen as irresponsibility or not being interested.
LEADERSHIP QUALITIES ACCORDING TO KALAM
Kalam, as a team leader, used to observe his colleagues carefully to see if they had the willingness to
experiment constantly. He used to get the team together to share the results, little developments, experiences
and small successes. He says that a good leader receives commitment and participation from his team. He
says that the
SLV-3 team was a unique blend of untutored talents. It was a mixture of self-trained engineers whose
dedication and character suited SLV-3 the most. He also wrote a short poem, appreciating the work of his
team….
Beautiful hands are those that do Work that is earnest and brave and true Moment by moment the long day
through. Kalam says that a leader should be sufficiently independent and powerful. He used to adopt two
techniques to strengthen personal freedom. First, to build the educational skills and second, to develop a
passion for personal responsibility. He also learnt that leaders exist at every level. He allowed mistakes asa
part of the learning process. He preferred a dash of daring and persistence to perfection.
COMMUNICATION AND CONVERSATION
Kalam used communication as his password or mantra for managing the gigantic project. He says that he
was a terrible conversationalist but a good communicator. A conversation is full of pleasantries and need not
have any useful information, whereas a communication is meant only for the exchange of information.
Communication is a two-party affair which aims at passing on or receiving a specific piece of information.
Kalam used to define the problems, identify the necessary action to solve it through genuine communication.
DESCRIPTION OF LAUNCH VEHICLE USING HUMAN BODY
Kalam describes a launch vehicle using the human body in comparison. The main mechanical structure is
compared to the human body. The control and guidance system including their electronic circuit systems is
compared to human brain. The propellants are compared to the muscles. He also says that SLVs and missiles
can be called first cousins as they come from same lineage, rocketry.
THE TRAGEDY THAT STRUCK KALAM’S PERSONAL LIFE IN 1976
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The untimely death of Kalam‘s brother-in-law, Jallaluddin was the first tragedy. He was Kalam‘s mentor and
guide. Kalam was shocked and became motionless on hearing the news. He could not think or feel anything.
He recollected the time he spent with Jallaluddin. Kalam lost interest in many things for many days.
Then came the news of his father‘s death. He had been in ill health for quite sometime. Later, when Kalam
was about to leave for France, his mother too passed away.
WERNHER VON BRAUN
Wernher von Braun was one of the most important rocket scientists .Everybody working in rocketry knows
of Von Braun. He was the technical director of the German Missile Laboratory at Kummersdorf. He
developed the V-2 missile for Nazis, which destroyed London during the World War II. In the final stages of
the war he was captured by the Allied forces. As a tribute to his genius, he was given a top position in the
rocketry programme at NASA. He produced the Jupiter missile, the first IRBM with a 3000 km range, while
working for the US army. For 15 years after the War, Von Braun worked with the USA in the development
of ballistic missiles. He created the Saturn rocket in the Apollo mission which put the first man on the moon.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE V-2 MISSILE
The V-2 missile was the greatest single achievement in the history of rockets and missiles. It was the result
of the efforts of Von Braun and his team in VFR. It began as a civilian effort but soon became an official
army programme. The first V-2 missile was tested unsuccessfully in June1942. It toppled over on to its side
and exploded. But on 16 August 1942, it became the first missile to exceed the speed of sound.
VON BRAUN’S PERSONALITY
Kalam was filled with awe when he had to pick up Von Braun in Madras. They travelled in the Avro aircraft
which took 90 minutes from Madras to Trivandrum. Von Braun asked Kalam about their work and listened
to him just like another student of rocketry. Kalam never expected the father of modern rocketry to be so
humble, receptive and encouraging. He made Kalam feel comfortable throughout the flight.
VON BRAUN’S OPINION ON AMERICA AND HIS ADVISE TO KALAM
Von Braun told Kalam that America is a country of great possibilities but they suspect everything un-
American and they have a low opinion on everything foreign. They also suffer from a NIH (Not Invented
Here) complex. Von Braun advised Kalam to do the rocketry work all by himself without depending upon
outside help. He also said that one doesn‘t just build on successes but also on failures. He said that mere hard
work can fetch him honour. He said that one shouldn‘t build rock walls but create a terrace placing rock over
rock. He made it clear that making a goal makes the difference. His words ―Do not make rocketry your
profession or your livelihood—make it your religion, your mission.‖ made Kalam see something of Prof.
Sarabhai in Von Braun. Kalam followed the words of Wernher Von Braun. He put a hold button on his life.
He put all his being in the work without any other activities.
WORKAHOLIC
Kalam questions the term ‗workaholic‘. He says that he finds pleasure in working and works towards that
which he desires. Then why should the term be considered a ‗mental lapse‘ which implies illness? Kalam
says that the common thing among all successful men and women is ‗total commitment‘. One should be
strong enough
and in sound health to achieve something.
FLOW
Flow is the joy that one would experience while working with total commitment and involvement. It is an
overwhelming sensation. During this joyous experience, action follows action. One need not try to do
anything consciously. There is no hurry and no distractions to the worker‘s attention. There would be no
more difference between the worker and the work. The worker would flow into the work. Kalam says that
their team used to be very relaxed, energetic and fresh even though they worked very hard. The difficult
targets that seemed achievable might have created the flow, says Kalam. The first requirement to get into
flow is to work as hard as one can, at something that presents a challenge. The challenge need not be an
overwhelming one, but one that increases one‘s ability. The task that is performed should be better than the
previous one. Another pre-requisite for being in flow is the availability of a significant span of uninterrupted
time. Kalam says that it is difficult to switch into flow state in less than half an hour and it is almost
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impossible to switch into the state if we are constantly disturbed. Disturbances break flow and it is difficult
to regain flow within a short time. He used to experience the flow state almost everyday of the SLV-3
mission. He used to find the laboratory empty and then realize that it was way past his work hours.
Sometimes, he and his team members were so caught up in work that the lunch time slipped away without
their conscious that they were hungry. Thus according to Kalam, flow is the experience of joy in working
with total commitment and involvement.
THE SUCCESS STORY OF SLV-3
In 1969, Prof. Sarabhai decided to build India‘s own satellites and Satellite Launch Vehicle. He picked up a
team to materialize his dream. Abdul Kalam was a project leader and designer of the fourth stage of SLV-3.
After Prof. Sarabhai‘s demise, he was appointed Project Manager for SLV-3. The primary objectives of the
SLV-3 project were design, development and operation of a standard SLV system capable of launching a 40
kg satellite into a 400 km circular orbit around the earth. A target of flight test within 64 months was set in
March 1973. Three groups were constituted to carry out the project activities. They were Programme
Management Group, Integration and Flight Testing Group and Subsystems Development Group. Abdul
Kalam asked for 275 engineers but got only 50. However, the project team members were exceptionally
talented. Almost 250 sub-assemblies and 44 major subsystems were conceived during the design. The list of
the materials went up to over one million components. The self-sufficiency to produce SLV 3 came
gradually. The team members were self-trained engineers. They had the necessary talent, character and
dedication to make the SLV 3 project a success. Kalam used communication as his pass word for managing
this gigantic project.
The SLV 3 project members set three important deadlines for themselves. They were- development
and flight worthiness of all subsystems through sounding rockets by 1975; sub-orbital flights by 1976 and
the final orbital flight in 1978. In 1974 the century sounding rocket was launched to test some critical
systems. The
test was a great success. Kalam learned that the SLV 3 apogee rocket scheduled to be flight tested in France,
developed some trouble. He went to France, removed the snags and successfully tested the apogee motor. He
threw all his being into creating the SLV 3. The team members experienced a flow in their work. Though
their targets were difficult, they were hopeful of achieving them. The hardware required for SLV 3 started
coming in. The confidence of the team increased. Abdul Kalam was in complete control over the SLV 3
project. The first ever experimental flight of SLV 3 was scheduled for 10 August 1979 with the primary
good of evaluating on-board systems and the ground system. The 23-metre-long, four-stage SLV 3 rocket,
weighing 17 tonnes, finally took off elegantly at 0758 hours and moved in the programmed trajectory. Stage
II went out of control and the vehicle crashed into the sea, 560 km off Sriharikota, within 317 seconds. The
entire team was sad and disappointed. Kalam took the responsibility for this failure. The second flight of
SLV 3 was scheduled for 18 July 1980 at 0803 hours. The eyes of the whole nation were on the second
flight. India‘s first Satellite Launch Vehicle, SLV 3 lifted off from SHAR. The fourth stage apogee motor
has given the required velocity to put Rohini satellite into orbit. Kalam‘ colleagues carried him on their
shoulders. The success of SLV 3 was the culmination of a national dream and the beginning of a very
important
phase in the history of India. It was one hundred percent indigenous effort. It proved the scientific strength
of India. On the Republic Day of 1981, Abdul Kalam was honoured with Padma Bhushan award.
DR. BRAHM PRAKASH
Dr. Brahm Prakash was the first Indian to head the Department of Metallurgy in the Indian Institute of
Science. He developed techniques for the extraction and fabrication of a variety of nuclear-grade metals. He
became the first director of the VSSC, which oversaw the launch of SLV-3. He was Kalam‘s sheet-anchor.
His belief in team spirit had inspired and guided the management pattern for the SLV project. This became a
model and blueprint for all scientific projects in the country. He gave a new strength and dimension to the
qualities that Kalam acquired from Prof. Sarabhai. Dr. Brahm Prakash always cautioned Kalam against haste
saying that big scientific projects were like mountains that should be climbed without urgency. He consoled
Kalam at the time of the unsuccessful launch of the SLV 3. He waited for Kalam to take lunch with him.
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Kalam was deeply touched by his affection and concern. He demonstrated to Kalam that he was not alone
and that his team was with him to share his grief. It gave great emotional support to Kalam. Dr. Brahm
Prakash chided Kalam for his formality when Kalam thanked him on being conferred with the Padma
Bhushan Award. He said that he feels as if his son has got the award.
THE BITTER TRUTH
SLV 3 was successfully launched from SHAR on 18 July 1980. The next SLV-3 named SLV 3 D1 took off
on 31 May 1981. Kalam viewed this flight from the visitor‘s gallery for the first time. He became the focus
of the media attention and thus aroused the envy of some of his senior colleagues. Kalam was hurt at this
environment. But he accepted it as he could not change it. The bitterness was real. Later, when the Padma
Bhushan Award was conferred on him, there were mixed reactions at VSSC. A few shared his happiness
while others felt that he was being unduly singled out for recognition. Some of his close associates turned
envious.
PROF. RAJA RAMANNA
Prof. Raja Ramanna pioneered nuclear physics in India, with his research in nuclear fission. He was a
renowned nuclear scientist whom Kalam always admired. He was then the scientific adviser to the defence
minister. Kalam had the memories of his first meet with Prof. Sarabhai when he met Prof. Ramanna. He
showed genuine pleasure at meeting Kalam. There was eagerness in his talk. His sympathetic friendliness
accompanied by graceful movements struck Kalam. He asked Kalam if he would like to join DRDL and
shoulder the responsibility of shaping their Guided Missile Development Programme (GMDP).
WINGS OF FIREUNIT-5(CH. 17 TO 20)
KALAM AT DRDL
Kalam joined DRDL on 1 June 1982. He realized that the laboratory was still haunted by the winding up of
the Devil missile. Many excellent professionals had not recovered from the disappointment. He realized that
the burial of the Devil was essential for the rise of hope and vision. He made it out a point with his team. His
message was not to make anything that couldn‘t be sold and not to spend the life making only one thing. His
first few months at DRDL were largely interactive. He described and explained their goals and the interplay
between their work and themselves. He was astonished to see the determination of the DRDL workforce.
They were eager to go ahead despite of the premature winding up of their earlier projects. He extended
invitations to people from various institutions. He felt that the stuffy work centers of DRDL needed a breath
of fresh air. He mentions that ISRO was lucky to have had Prof. Sarabhai and Dr. Brahm Prakash who
highlighted their goals clearly, made their missions larger than their lives and could then inspire the entire
work force. He says that DRDL had not been so lucky.
Kalam created a forum of senior scientists where important matters could be discussed collectively. It
was called the Missile Technology Committee. The middle-level scientists and engineers were made
involved in the management activities of the laboratory.
LONG-TERM GUIDED MISSILE DEVELPOMENT PROGRAMME
A committee was constituted under Kalam‘s chairmanship to draw up a well-defined missile development
programme for the production of indigenous missiles. They drafted a paper for the cabinet after consulting
the three defence services-the army, the navy and the air force. The estimated expenditure was about Rs.390
crore, spread over a period of 12 years. Kalam and his team wanted to get funds to develop and produce two
missiles, a tactical core vehicle and a surface-to-surface missile. They also proposed to develop a third
generation anti-tank guided missile. All his colleagues were pleased with the proposal. Kalam made a
presentation to the Government. The meeting was presided over by the Defence Minister, R Venkataraman
and was attended by the three service chiefs and senior officials. Everyone seemed to have many doubts on
their capabilities, the technological infrastructure, viability schedule and cost. Dr. Arunachalam, the
scientific adviser, stood by Kalam throughout the session. Everyone was excited at the idea of India having
her own missile systems.
INTEGRATED GUIDED MISSILE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
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The Defence Minister suggested Kalam and Dr. Arunachalam that they launch an integrated GMDP, instead
of making missiles in phases. They were asked to come the next morning with their plan. They laboured all
the night. They took into account all the variables like design, fabrication, system integration, experimental
flights,
evaluation, updating, user trials, quality, reliability and financial viability. They felt that a very exciting
challenge had been thrown to them. The Defence Minister was very much pleased with their new proposal,
which had turned overnight into the blueprint of an integrated programme with far reaching consequences.
He immediately cleared the entire proposal. The Defence Minister also arranged an air force helicopter to
take Kalam from Chennai to Madurai to attend his niece‘s wedding. Dr. Arunachalam told, ―You have
earned this for your hard work of the last six months‖. The Defence Minister put up the proposal before the
cabinet and saw it through. An unprecedented amount of Rs.388 crore was sanctioned. Thus was born
India‘s prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). Kalam presented the
government‘s sanction letter before the Missile Technology Committee at DRDL. They were filled with
excitement, fire and action.Dr. Arunachalam formally launched IGMDP on 27 July 1983. Kalam felt it to be
the second-most significant day in his career, next to 18 July 1980, when SLV-3 had
launched Rohini into Earth‘s orbit. The launch of IGMDP was like a bright flash on the Indian scientific sky.
THE FIVE PROJECTS
The proposed projects were christened in accordance with the spirit of India‘s self-reliance. The most
important task before Kalam was the selection of the project directors to lead individual missile projects.
Kalam observed the working styles of many scientists before making his decision.
PRITHVI:
The surface-to-surface weapon system was named Prithvi. Kalam chose Col. VJ Sundaram to lead Prithvi.
He belonged to the EME corps of the Indian Army. He experimented with team work. Kalam found in him a
readiness to experiment with new ways. He was an experimenter and innovator in team work. He had an
extraordinary capability for evaluating alternative ways of operating. He would suggest moving forward into
new grounds .He could provide effective work directions. The project director of Prithvi would be the first to
make decisions with
production agencies and the armed forces and Kalam believed that Sundaram would be the ideal choice to
see that sound decisions were taken. Prithvi was launched on 25 February 1988. It was competent and
precise in core guidance and technologies. Prithvi represented the self-reliance of the country in the field of
advanced technology. It can carry 1000kg of warhead to a distance of 250 km.It is the surface-to-surface
missile in the world. It is 100% indigenous in design, operation and deployment. It was meant were
delivering non-nuclear weapons.
TRISHUL:
The tactical core vehicle was called Trishul. It was a short-range, quick reaction surface-to-air missile. For
Trishul, Kalam selected Commodore SR Mohan from the Indian Navy. He not only had sound knowledge of
electronics and missile warfare, but could also communicate the complexities to the team in order to promote
understanding and support. Kalam found in him a magical power of persuasion. Trishul was successfully test
fired in 1985 from Sriharikota. It took India into areas of competence where there was no competition.
AGNI:
Kalam gave the name Agni to his long-cherished dream of the REX (Re-entry Experiment) .It was an
intermediate-range ballistic missile. Kalam chose RN Agarwal, an alumnus of MIT. He had a brilliant
academic record. He had been managing the aeronautical test facilities at DRDL. He was found to be the
right person who would tolerate Kalam‘s occasional meddling in the running of the project.
AKASH AND NAG:
Kalam selected relatively young Prahlada and NR Iyer for Akash and Nag as their activities were expected
to peak about half a decade later. Akash was a medium range surface-to-air missile. It was developed by the
post-graduate students of Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc), Bangalore, under the leadership of Prof. Sarma.
Nag was an anti-tank guided missile. This missile had no equal in its field. Osmania University‘s
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Navigational Electronics Research and Training Unit developed state-of-the-art signal processing algorithms
for Nag.
RESEARCH CENTRE IMARAT (RCI)
Kalam found the space available at DRDL inadequate to meet the requirements of IGMDP. He visited
Imarat Kancha area. It was a barren land dotted with large rocks. Kalam felt the tremendous energy trapped
in those rocks. He decided to locate the integration and check-out facilities needed for the missile projects
there. It had
become his mission for the next three years. A proposal was drawn up to establish a model high-technology
research centre with very advanced technical facilities. He chose MV Suryakantha Rao to carry on this
gigantic task.
They approached the Military Engineering Service (MES) for construction, discussed with the Ministry of
Defence and collaborated with an outside company to prepare the layout. An infrastructure to provide 40
MVA power and 5 million litres of water per day was planned. Developing this centre of excellence of
missile technology was compared to the joy of a potter shaping artefacts. It came to be known as Research
Centre Imarat (RCI) retaining the original identity of the place. The young Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi laid
the foundation stone of RCI on 3 August 1985. He was very pleased with the progress made. He told the
DRDL team that he understood the troubles faced by Indian scientists. He expressed his gratitude towards
those who preferred to stay and work in India despite the odds rather than go abroad for comfortable careers.
MAKING USE OF THE DEVIL MISSILE
An altitude control system and an on-board computer were developed and a missile was needed to test this
important system. After many discussions, the Devil missile was put to use. It was disassembled, modified
and was fired with a make-shift launcher on 26 June 1984 to flight test the guidance system. The system met
all the requirements. This had been the first significant step in the history of Indian missile development.
Moving towards designing our own systems had begun.
INDIRA GANDHI’S VISIT TO DRDL
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi expressed her desire to be personally informed of the progress of IGMDP. She
visited DRDL on 19 July 1984. Kalam felt it to be an honour to receive her at DRDL. She was a strong
woman and a great leader. She wanted the nation to be strong enough to meet any eventuality. She was the
leader of 800 million people and she was very much conscious of it. Kalam says that every step, every
gesture and every movement of her hands reflected this. She gave high regard to the work in the field of
guided missiles which gave a lot of encouragement to Kalam and others. She spent an hour at DRDL and
covered all the aspects of IGMDP. She later addressed the DRDL community and asked for the schedules of
the flight systems that they were working on. She enquired what was needed to speed up the flight schedule.
She also announced that a fast pace of work is the hope of the entire nation. She asked Kalam to lay
emphasis not only on the schedule but also on the excellence of the IGMDP. Her appreciation of the work
done provided immense encouragement to the staff.
AN INFUSION OF YOUNG BLOOD
The missile programme had partners in design, development and production from 12 academic institutions
and 30 laboratories. Kalam, with a few members of the missile programme, visited campuses andrequested
the aspiring students to participate in the programme. The young engineers changed the dynamics of DRDL.
They didn‘t fully grasp the importance of their work, at first. Once they did, they felt the burden of the
tremendous faith placed in them. The young scientific environment had changed the negative attitudes to
positive. The things that were previously thought impractical began happening. Many older scientists were
rejuvenated by being part of a young team.
Kalam insisted that the youngest scientists would present their team‘s work at the review meetings. It would
help them visualise the whole system. An atmosphere of confidence grew. The young started questioning the
senior colleagues on solid technical issues. The work environment was lively with a good blend of the
experience of the older scientists and the innovation of their younger colleagues. Kalam says that the
positive dependence between youth and experience had created a very productive work culture at DRDL.
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Trishul successfully took off on 16 September 1985. Another significant step was the successful test flight of
the Pilotless Target Aircraft. The postgraduate students developed air defence software for multi-target
acquisition by Akash. The re-entry vehicle system design methodology for Agni was developed by a young
team at IIT, Madras, with DRDO scientists. A state-of-art signal processing algorithms for Nag was also
developed by the Osmania University‘s Navigational Electronics Research and Training Unit. These were a
few examples of collaborative effort. Kalam says that it would have been very difficult to achieve the
advanced technological goals without the active partnership of those academic institutions. The challenge
involved in the Agni payload was met by the young scientists working in the field of fluid dynamics. They
made it possible by developing the required software within six months. Kalam says that the effort of these
young teams made the country self-reliant in the area of protected technologies. It was a good example of the
‗renewal factor‘. Our intellectual capacity was renewed through contact with enthusiastic young minds.
THE SUCCESS MANTRA OF KALAM
Kalam says that one should judge one‘s actions. Kalam, as a young scientist, desired to be more than what
he was at that moment. He desired to feel more, learn more and express more. He desired to grow, improve
and expand. He never used anybody‘s influence to advance his career. All he had was the inner urge (strong
desire) to seek more within himself. The key to his motivation had always been to look at how far he had
still to go, rather than how far he had come.
LACK OF EMPOWERMENT
In 1983 India did not have an adequate technology base. But the country lacked the
empowerment(authority/facility) to utilise the expert technology that was available. Combining the
approaches of Prof. Sarabhai, Prof. Dhawan and Dr. Brahm Prakash, Kalam tried to create a completely
indigenous variety of technology management. India attempted to develop a model that was appropriate to
our specific needs and capabilities. We borrowed ideas that had been developed elsewhere, but adapted them
in the light of what we knew were our strengths. At the same time India recognized the restrictions that it
had to work under. Appropriate management helped to prove what talent and potential lay in our research
laboratories, government institutions and private industries.
THE TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY
The Technology Management Philosophy of the missile development programme is not limited to missile
development only. It represents the urge to succeed and awareness that the world is never again to be
directed by muscle or money power. Only nations with technological superiority will enjoy freedom and
sovereignty. Technology, unlike science, is a group of activity, it does not grow on individual intelligence,
but by intelligence interacting and ceaselessly influencing one another. This is how the IGMDP has become
a strong Indian family that makes missile systems.
KALAM’S ADVICE TO THE YOUTH OF TODAY
Abdul Kalam wished that the story of his struggle to become a person, should give some insight into life of
the youth of today. This may equip at least a few young people to stand up in the society. People tend to get
addicted to the endless pursuits of external rewards like wealth, prestige, position, promotion, approval of
one‘s lifestyle by others, ceremonial honours and status symbols of all kinds.
The youth of today must de-learn this self-defeating way of living. The culture of working for
material possessions and rewards must be discarded. Whenever Kalam saw wealthy, powerful, learned
people struggling to be at peace with themselves, he remembered people like Jallaluddin and Iyadurai
Solomon. They were happy without any money or possessions. They drew sustenance from within. They
relied more on inner signals and on external markers. Life will be better without external pressures. The
entire nation will be benefited by having strong, inner-directed people as its citizens.
GREAT EMOTIONAL LOSS
Dr. Brahm Prakash‘s death (3 January 1984) was a great emotional loss to Abdul Kalam. Kalam had had the
privilege of working under him during the most challenging period of his career. Dr. Brahm Prakash played
a very important role in shaping Kalam‘s leadership skills. He had been Kalam‘s sheet-anchor. His humility
and compassion were exemplary. Kalam says that Dr. Brahm Prakash‘s humility mellowed him and helped
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him control his aggressive approach. Kalam remembered his healing touch on the day of the failed SLV
flight, and his sorrow
deepened further.
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