Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's 5 contributions in India's space and nuclear technology
“When I am dead, do not declare a holiday; instead work a day extra”, Kalam said. Here we remember his contribution in developing scientific temperament in India.
India remembers former president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on his seventh death anniversary. On this day in 2015, the ‘Missile Man of India’ breathed his last after he suffered cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong.
“When I am dead, do not declare a holiday; instead work a day extra”, he said. Here we remember his contribution to the field of technology.
Father of India’s own Satellite Launch Vehicle
In the very first year of its establishment, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) selected Dr. Kalam as its project director to help build India’s first indigenous satellite launch vehicle (SLV). The ten years of hard work paid off as SLV-III successfully launched the satellite Rohini into orbit in July 1980. This established India as a self reliant and exclusive member having its indigenous technology of launching satellite.
Spreading the wings
After the successful launch of the Rohini satellite, Dr. Kalam broadened the scope of India’s space programme. Utilising the technology of SLV, he directed two projects- Project Devil and Project Valiant to develop ballistic missiles. According to Vikaspedia, an online information guide launched by the Centre, then PM Indira Gandhi designated secret funds for these aerospace projects through her discretionary powers despite objection from the cabinet.
The Missile Man of India
After two decade-long stints in ISRO, he was appointed the chief executive officer of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). The programme under the Ministry of Defence developed many missiles under famed Agni and Prithvi projects. Agni is an intermediate-range ballistic missile and Prithvi is a tactical surface-to-surface missile.
Abdul Kalam as Major General Prithvi Raj, the Pokhran Saga
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam took charge of the Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister of India between 1992 and 1999. He was the brain behind the Pokhran II nuclear test. To conceal the identity, he was code named Major General Prithvi Raj. As a CEO of DRDO, he then famously said, “The testing was a ‘defining moment’ in the country’s history, next only to adopting the path of economic liberalisation in 1991”.
“Kalam-Raju Stent”
Dr. Kalam, an aeronautical scientist, collaborated with a cardiologist, B. Soma Raju to build indigenous coronary stents. Introduced in the markets in 1994, it led to a significant reduction in the price of coronary stents, over 50% price cut as earlier it was to be imported. Based on it, there are many upgraded models of the stent now available in the market saving the precious lives of patient of coronary heart disease.
