The Hindu : Kalam's life brought to children

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 18, 2002

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Kalam's life brought to children

By Lakshmi Balakrishnan

NEW DELHI JUNE 17. It may have been nothing more than sheer coincidence, but the National Council of Education, Research and Training (NCERT) might just have an ace up its sleeve if and when A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is elected the President of India.

An `up close and personal' look at the life of the country's missile man is what the very first chapter of the newly introduced English book for Class IX promises. And even if it was not planned, most at NCERT are keeping their fingers crossed -- for this will probably be the first time that school students will get to read about the personal life of the President during his tenure in office.

The book "Steps to English'' is being introduced from this academic session as part of the new books that the Council is introducing till Class IX based on the guidelines suggested by the Curriculum of Framework for School Education 2000.

Although the NCERT maintains that the decision to choose a chapter on Prof. Kalam was based purely on the "scientific expertise of the scientist and the literary value of his autobiographical work "Wings of Fire'' and not on any assumption of his name coming up for the highest office of the country''.

The chapter titled "My Childhood'' takes a peek into the life of the Indian scientist and now the presidential nominee. With excerpts from his book "Wings of Fire'' forming the four-page long chapter, students get a rare look into some of the struggling times and rather interesting tales that shaped the life of Prof. Kalam.

``I was one of the many children, a short boy with rather undistinguished looks, born to tall and handsome parents'', reveals the scientist in the book. What makes interesting reading here are the incidents that shaped his life.

Right from the story of a new teacher who during his fifth class made him shift his seat from the first bench to the last because he did not want him to sit with a Brahmin boy to later days when his science teacher who despite being an orthodox Brahmin ways showed Kalam why breaking social barriers was important, the four-page long chapter makes interesting reading by giving some insight into the life of Prof. Kalam.

As NCERT Director, J.S.Rajput, himself describes in the book's forward, "One important feature of this book is that it contains writings about illustrious Indians. The themes range from age old problems of personality to discussion of contemporary issues like pride in being an Indian and India's rich cultural heritage.''

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