Updated Version of Wings of Fire Notes

S.Shaheen Taj
HOD (S&H Dept)
NIST
Mobile:9440632292
E Mail ID: taj.mam@gmail.com
shaheen_english2002@yahoo.com

http://knowledgeable-arts.blogspot.com/

Wings of Fire
(An Autobiography) –A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Describe briefly the place of Abdul Kalam’s birth. (Or) Narrate the childhood of Abdul Kalam with a brief review of the things and persons that influenced him in his childhood (or) Narrate Kalam’s childhood and the influences of Kalam during his childhood.

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born into a middle class Tamil family in the island town of Rameshwaram in Oct 15, 1931. His parents Ashiamma and Jainulabdeen were widely regarded as the ideal couple. Rameshwaram was a part of Madras state, in British India. Dr Kalam lived in their ancestral house, built of limestone and brick which was a fairly huge house, situated in Rameshwaram’s Mosque Street. Rameshwaram was sacred to pilgrims because of the famous Shiva Temple. It was a sacred Hindu pilgrimage town.
As per the epic Ramayana, Rameshwaram is the place from where Rama sent his attack on Ravana. Every year Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony was held there. Kalam’s family used to arrange the boats to carry idols from the temple to the marriage site, situated in the middle of the Rama Tirtha Pond. Hindus and Muslims lived friendly as neighbours. Kalam grew up imbibing both the cultures and religions. The people of Rameshwaram were religious, cultured and gentle.

Rameshwaram was a peaceful town where Hindus Muslims mingled closely, and discussed together on social and religious matters. Kalam learnt many things in his childhood hearing the discussions of his father and Lakshmana Sastry. Kalam’s father and Lakhmana Sastry were good friends. Both of them in their traditional attire discussed spiritual matters. Though their modes of worship were different, their thinking was similar. The small society of Rameshwaram was highly satisfied stratified and quite rigid about the segregation of different social groups. Though sometimes, some Brahmins were inherent towards Kalam, in general he was treated very well.

No doubt, Rameshwaram was a pilgrimage town and fishing locality but, it did not have any good schools or colleges to boast of. So Kalam had to go to study in Ramanathpuram, a much larger town. Inspite of such minor inconveniences Rameshwaram was quite a comfortable and peaceful town during Kalam’s childhood. Kalam feels sorry for leaving such a peaceful town. Kalam was forced to stay at. Ramanathapuram, which lacked the harmony of Rameswaram but ironically, the destiny, swept him away from the home of his childhood.

How did the cyclone that struck the Rameswaram coast affect the author’s family business? How did they deal with the situation?
Kalam,s father Jainulabdeen was wise and he possessed a truly generous spirit. His father was neither educated nor very rich. He lived frugally according to his austere principles. Jainulabdeen avoided comforts and luxuries which he considered non-essential. He had deep faith in God. He believed that when we pray, we move beyond our body, and its material concerns. One becomes a part of cosmos, where wealth, age, caste and creed are not standards for dividing people. Jainulabdeen’s philosophy was that one’s destiny should be vision born out of true knowledge of the self,a nd that fear often prevents one’s hopes being fulfilled. Kalam was greatly influenced by his father’s philosophy.

When Kalam was very young his father put his philosophy into practice. He decided to build a sail boat t ferry pilgrims from Rameswaram to Dhanuskodi and back. The wooden boat was built on the sea shore; timber was seasoned over wood fires to make hull and bulkheads. When the boat was ready Jainulabdeen started a brisk business. After few days, a severe cyclone struck the Rameshwaram coast. The strong winds wrecked Jainulabdeen’s boat. But Jainulabdeen was not at all distressed. He bore his loss with composure. Instead of worrying about his loss, he was more concerned about a greater tragedy caused by the gale. The Pambam Bridge has collapsed during the cyclonic storm, when a train full of passengers was crossing over it.

Kalam learnt both from his father’s attitude and the actual disaster. Kalam who just had experienced the beauty of the sea, now saw its force and uncontrollable energy.


What event influenced the author to move away and study in Schwartz High School? Or Write briefly about the education of Kalam and his becoming an aeronautical engineer. Or Describe how Kalam got educated and grew up into an aeronautical engineer Or Describe about the education of Kalam and the influence on him during his studies?

Kalam in his childhood was influenced by his brother-in-law, Ahmed Jallaluddin who always encouraged him to excel in his education. They talked about scientific discoveries, contemporary writing and literature, medical science and the progress it was making. Kalam’s next influence was Manickam, a militant nationalist, who wanted to fight for Independence by means other than the Gandhian way of non-violence. Manickam had a personal library and Kalam visited there to borrow books and always he encouraged Kalam to read. Kalam’s cousin, Samsuddin, who was the only distributor for newspapers in Rameshwaram was his next influence.
Kalam’s real education started with his mother, his father and later with Jallaluddin and his Brahmin friends and teachers in his childhood. The orthodox, peaceful life of Rameshwaram greatly educated him. His early education was at local school. In 1939, when Kalam was eight year old, World War – II was over. Freedom from British Rule seemed imminent for Indians. Mahatma Gandhi declared that Indians would build their own India. The whole country was filled with optimism. The optimism affected Kalam too and he asked his father’s consent to leave Rameshwaram and to study in Ramanathapuram. Kalam’s father readily agreed to send him saying that going away was a part of growing up. He also said that their love would not bind Kalam nor would their needs hold him. Hence Kalam accompanied by Samsuddin and Ahmed Jallaluddin reached Ramanathapuram and was admitted in Schwartz High School. Despite his homesickness, Kalam was determined to settle down in the new environment to fulfill the giant hopes of his father about his success. The power of positive thinking made him to join in Schwartz High School.

At Schwartz High School, one of Kalam’s teachers Iyaduri Solomon was his guide and mentor. He raised Kalams’s self esteem and self confidence. Kalam completed his intermediate and graduation at St. Joseph’s College at Tiruchinapalli. Rev Father TN Sequeira, Rev.Father Kalalthil and Kalam’s room mates, one an Othodox Brahmin and the other a Syrian Christian influenced Kalam and shaped him. He developed a keen interest in physics. Though physics was Kalam’s fascinating subject, he needed to take Engineering to tealise his dreams. So, he applied and got admission in Madras Institute of Technology (MIT). His sister, Zohra mortgaged her bangles and chain to help Kalam out. Kalam was deeply touched seeing her determination to educate him. He strongly decided to get good marks so that he could get a scholarship. Kalam was very interested in aeronautics and flying machines when he was in MIT. The two dummy flying machines in the premises, the great lecturers he had and the sincere principal of the MIT greatly helped him in becoming an aeronautical engineer. Professor Sponder, KAV Pandalai and Narasingha Rao moulded him. Their great teaching gentle advice further prompted his already kindled desire to pursue aeronautical engineering. They made him think scientifically and prove mathematically. Prof. Srinivasam taught him to maintain standards to be second to none and to keep deadlines.

After completing his education at MIT, Kalam went to HAL in Bangalore for practical training. Kalam’s respect and administration for his teacher, his single minded pursuit of his course made him emerge as a full-fledged aeronautical engineer.


What was the important lesson that Iyadurai Solomon taught the author?
Iyadurai Solomon was an ideal guide and mentor of Kalam. He was broadminded and he made his students feel comfortable in class. He made Kalam realize that one could exercise enormous influence over the events of one’s own life. One should have the intense desire to make anything happen. He also said that with faith one can change their destiny. This lesson came to be true in Kalam’s life. Whenever Kalam saw the sky in his childhood he was always fascinated by its mysteries. He was equally fascinated by flight of clouds. Then itself he decided that he too would fly one day. His dream was fulfilled in later years and he became the first child from Rameswaram to fly.

Iyadurai Solomon instilled in children a sense of their own worth. He raised Kalam’s self-esteem and convinced him, a child of parents who had no benefits of a good education that he too could aspire to become whatever he wished. Hence Kalam was confident and determined to succeed. No doubt, Solomon was a great author to become a great person.


What was the emphasis in the interview at the Air-force Selection Board? What do you understand from the way the author dealt with failing the interview?

After his education at MIT, Kalam went as a trainee to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at Bangalore. He completed his practical training at HAL and emerged as a full-fledged engineer. Kalam, very soon had two different opportunities for employment. One was a career in the Indian Air Force (IAF), the other a job at the Directorate of Technical Development and Production, of the Ministry of Defense. He applied for both and was called at interview at both places almost simultaneously. The interview by the air-force recruitment authority was at Dehradun and interview by DTD & P (air) was at New Delhi.

Kalam traveled to the north for the first time and he enjoyed his journey. He wondered at the beauty of Indian landscape and the vastness of India. The questions asked at the interview at New Delhi were routine and Kalam didn’t have to exercise his brain greately. Kalam was confident that he would be selected. But interview at DehraDun was entirely different. The Selection Board laid emphasis on personality and communication skill. Kalam was nervous and tense and hence could not do well at interview. He stood ninth in the batch of 25 candidates. But only eight officers were selected for IAF and Kalam was disappointed.

Kalam traveled t Rishikesh to soothe his mind. Richkehs was apeaceful pilgrimage centr. He met Swamy Sivananda whose advice soothed his feelings. The Swamy advised Kalam to accept his destiny and to go ahead with his life as he was not destined to become a pilot. Actually Kalam’s destiny was not revealed yet and hence Swamy advised him to forget his failure and think of it as a step that will lead him to his pre-destined path. Swamy’s advice made Kalam to recollect his father’s similar advice and he decided to take what fate offered.

Kalam got appointment as a Senior Scientific Assistant at DTD&P. he did not feel any bitterness or resentment at his failure to enter IAF. He realized that though he was helping not flying aeroplanes, he was helping to make them airworthy.