Obituary of Dr A.P.J. Kalam, Former President of India

Foundation for Critical Choices for India

Obituary of Dr A.P.J. Kalam, Former President of India

It is with profound shock that the Foundation for Critical Choices for India, The Netherlands, has learnt about the sudden demise of Dr A.P.J. KALAM, former President of India and one of the most loved and popular Presidents .  He was not only a thinker, scientist, humanitarian and a patriot of the first order but also a very simple, humble and highly motivating individual, inspiring particularly young children and the youth of India. Till his last breath he was motivating the young students of IIM, Shillong, Assam.

Foundation for Critical Choices for India which is a Think Tank of Indian Diaspora, was very much impressed by his book “India 2020 : Vision for the New Millenneum”, published in 1998, which provided a blue print of major strategies for catapulting India to the club of developed countries by the year 2020. With a view to identifying what role Indian Diaspora spread all over the world, could play in contributing to this process, the Foundation organized a major international Seminar at the Hague on the occasion of its Silver Jubilee (2005), to which he was invited as the Chief Guest.  Due to his prior commitments,  he could not come but deputed his Co-Author of “Vision” Dr Y.S. Rajan, who delivered the key note address and also participated in the highly motivated discussion which followed presentations. The Conference was well attended by interested members of Indian, Dutch and Surinami/Hindustani communities.

Late Dr. A.P.J. Kalam kept his promise to meet us and attended our event on 5^th of December 2007, organized at The Hague, in which he not only delivered a candid and inspiring speech, but also highlighted his vision for a developed India during extensive interaction with the audience that came in huge numbers to listen to him and get inspired. Appreciating the work of the Foundation he suggested to us that we should in future pay more attention to social problems in India. The Foundation has followed that effectively and arranged various meetings and seminars on the compelling issues like Security of Women, Civic Awareness, Urban Development, Water and Waste Management in India, etc. We again got the opportunity to meet him during his visit to The Netherlands in 2013.

In the tradition of Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan and Dr Zakir Hussain, Late Dr A.P.J. was a philosopher, thinker and a scientist of the world fame. After Late Sh. Jawahar Lal Nehru he emerged as a source of inspiration to the youngsters of India. India and Indians everywhere will miss this great son of the nation very much. May his great soul rest in peace.

Jasbir Singh,

President, Foundation for Critical Choices for India on behalf of all Trustees.