APJ Kalam: An ancient Soul departs
September 2015 The nation bid a teary-eyed farewell to former President APJ Abdul Kalam, popularly known as the missile man of India on July 27, 2015.
He collapsed on stage while delivering a lecture in IIM, Shillong, and subsequently died of a cardiac arrest. He was 83. Recipient of Bharat Ratna, Kalam was born and raised in Rameshwaram to Jainilabdeen Mavakayar and Ashiamma. He studied physics and aerospace engineering from Madras University, and later headed various space research programmes conducted by the Government of India. From 1992 to 1999, Kalam was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation. He was appointed the President of India in 2002 and became very popular among the masses for his fair and impartial conduct. But more than that he endeared himself to people with his nobility, righteousness, principled approach and breadth of mind. A strict vegetarian, he played the classical instrument Veena and was heavily inspired by the Bhagavad Gita and the philosophy of Tamil poet and philosopher, Thiruvalluvar. He had published a book called Thirukkural: Pearls of Inspiration. He was the author of bestsellers like Wings of Fire, Ignited minds, India 2020, and The Scientific Indian and preferred interacting with students to motivate them to think higher. He never married. But there is a historical dimension too attached to his personality. Purneema Rajan, a tarot reader, past-life regression therapist and a disciple of Brahmharshi Patriji was asked by her master to find out who Kalam was in his previous birth. “I immediately sat in meditation and went into a very deep meditative state, into another level of consciousness. I was informed by the astral masters that Dr. Kalam in one of his past lives was none other than Vidura, the personification of righteousness in the Mahabharata. I conveyed this message to Patriji who was delighted,” she says. Coincidentally, while watching TV a few days later, she came across a question addressed to Dr Kalam by a student, on which character in the Mahabharata inspired him the most. Dr Kalam’s reply was Vidura. Whether he was Vidura or not in his past life, he certainly was the embodiment of probity and guilelessness in this one. RIP, Sir. India will miss you.
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