Auspicious signs begin to emerge when a special child is born. That special child, who was destined to become father of missiles, grew up in the laps of his parents. His father would kiss him with great affection, look at the blue sky and thank God to have blessed him with a special child—thinking that his child, Abdul Kalam, would definitely earn name and fame all around in the world. His mother would make him sit on the floor of the kitchen and place a banana leaf before him, on which she would ladle rice and aromatic ‘sambhar’, a variety of sharp, home-made pickles and fresh dollop of coconut chutney.
And Abdul Kalam, during his growth from childhood to adolescence, would look at the kites flying high in the sky and think that he, too, would, one day, fly high in the sky. As if it was a message to his mother—‘Mother! Yes, mother! I shall fly! I shall fly toward the blue sky with speed, with new enthusiasm. You will see I shall hold my head high!’
It was an auspicious day—15 October 1931—and this was a period when India was struggling for freedom and son of India (Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam) was born. “O God!” his father would say fervently, “I am extremely grateful to Thee for Thou hast filled my house with brilliance! Thou hast filled my house with happiness!”
This was southern part of India and, on the northern side the revolutionary movement was at its peak; the Indian National Congress, considering the freedom of India above every other consideration, was fighting against the British government. Meanwhile, a delegation, headed by Mahatma Gandhi, had reached London.
Here, when the small children of India were only learning to walk, the farmers were campaigning their agitation under the banner of the communists. The farmers’ agitation was at its peak and the United Provinces, the Punjab, Bihar, Bengal, Karnataka and Andhra had decided not to pay taxes.
Those were days when everyone in India was curious about the latest news. And so, his first cousin, Samsuddin, became the sole distributor for newspapers in Rameswaram….“The newspapers would arrive at Rameswaram station by the morning train from Pamban. Samsuddin’s newspaper agency was a one-man organization catering to the reading demands of the 1,000-strong literate population of Rameswaram town. These newspapers were mainly bought to keep abreast of current developments in the National Independence Movement, for astrological reference or to check the bullion rates prevailing in Madras. A few readers with a more cosmopolitan outlook would discuss Hitler, Mahatma Gandhi and Jinnah; almost all would finally flow into the mighty political current of Periyar EV Ramaswamy’s movement against high caste Hindus. Dinamani was the most sought after newspaper…” (from Wings of Fire).
This was how the family earned its bread and butter. And this continued not for a day or two but for years together. The first wages Dr. Abdul Kalam earned was when he was an eight-year- old child. It was during Second World War, which broke out in the year 1939, that India was forced to join the Allied Forces and something like a state of emergency was declared. This resulted in suspension of the train halt of Rameswaram station. As a consequence the newspapers had to be bundled and thrown out from the moving train on the Rameswaram Road between Rameswaram and Dhanuskodi. Now it became necessary for Samsuddin to get a helping hand; someone who could collect the bundles. And Dr. Abdul Kalam, who was only an eight-year-old child then, filled the slot. This was how he earned his first wages.
Dr. Abdul Kalam had his primary education at the Rameswaram Elementary School. Once he had a very bitter experience, as a fifth standard student, with a teacher who had newly joined the school. The teacher saw him sitting in the front row next to his classmate, Ramanadha Sastry, son of a Hindu priest. The new teacher could not somehow take it in the right spirit. Breaking the norms of social ranking was something that did not suit his conservativeness. He shifted him (Abdul Kalam) to the last row. The teacher was summoned by Lakshmana Sastry and admonished and was warned not to spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children.
Child Abdul Kalam, born in a poor family, had equal faith in temples and mosques. On his way to his school there would be temples and mosques and he would be eager to take blessings from both the sacred places.
Shri Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam is the name of the great personality whose great performances are much greater than the length of his name. Great are the parents to whom Abdul Kalam was born. It was an auspicious evening when God blessed the sacred place,
Rameswaram, with a child who was destined to become missile-man of India.
The great country, India, is proud of her son—a son who has proved that a person with firm determination can make anything possible; he can reach any height. If this India, with a population of above one thousand millions and with various languages and dialects, traditions and faiths, religions and communities, is independent and more powerful and firm in this fast moving world, with regard to atomic weapons and missiles, it is because of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
God does justice to every such good soul who is full of divine power, who is industrious and dutiful, and who performs his duties tirelessly. Along with doing justice, He adds a chapter of name and fame also to his life. It is said that in the system of God there can be delay but there cannot be injustice. The continuous and sincere labour of the God-fearing, simple, modest and industrious boatman of Rameswaram brought good results and Abdul Kalam was born in his family.
Dr. Abdul Kalam, who grew up in the Atta Kutti Palli Vasal lane of Rameswaram, passed his childhood days struggling to manage to have good and proper education. But he himself attributes his success and achievements to his parents and his Guru. He says that he would not have had any achievements without their kind blessings. Great are those parents and the Guru whom Dr. Abdul Kalam remembers with reverence for his achievements. His truthfulness, modesty, forbearance and piousness of heart, are exemplary for the society.
There is a famous couplet which had its importance when it was composed, it is important today and will remain important in the future also—
Janani Ya To Vijna Jan, Ya Phir Jan Too Soor.
Ya Phir Janani Banjh Rah, Kahe Ganvaye Noor..
i.e. a mother should give birth either to a scholar or to a brave child; and if this is not possible, it would be better if she remains a barren woman. Why should she bring bad name to herself?
Certainly, it is the mother who plays the greatest role in shaping a child into a capable, brave and worthy child. Where, on the one hand, a child earns glory, on the other brings good name and respect to his mother also.
Ashiamma was one such mother who fulfilled all the qualities of an ideal mother. She had a distinguished lineage. One of her forebears was bestowed the title of ‘Bahadur’ (brave) by the British.
