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A scientist sage
A.P.J. ABDUL KALAM is the 12th President of our Republic. P. V. Indiresan ("Engineers maligned", The Hindu, July 31) reported that Dr. Kalam's selection "has caused deep misgivings both among a section of politicians and the media." He also assumed that "Dr. Kalam suffers from a double jeopardy. One, many of those who are sponsoring him are genuinely detested. Their evil image rubs off on him too."
Dr. Indiresan has not spelt out those "genuinely detested" and for what reason? There may be some frustrated professionals in our scientific establishment who raised the question of lower status of technology and engineering. But support for Dr. Kalam's presidency is overwhelming from all quarters in the nation. In a public survey 99 per cent of men and women in the country, taxi-drivers, doctors, university students and faculty, teachers, labourers and construction workers, traders, truck-drivers, industrialists and engineers, villagers of all walks of life and religions, everyone hailed Dr. Kalam's presidency. For once members of Parliament were united for Dr. Kalam. Exceptions were a few Communists and the jehadis of Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen commander who sent a radio message to a terrorist contact in J&K, that "Kalam should not have agreed to become the President of a kafir state." Dr. Indiresan seems responding to some brahmanic critics within the science establishment who denied Dr. Kalam a professorial post. But President Kalam has received the highest honour with his own merit and commitment to the nation building.
It is now only of academic interest to know who first proposed Dr. Kalam's name, which political party and/or individual initiated his name. Many conjectures. But let it be known that as early as April 25, 2001, this writer sent a communication to a few MPs, and the PM, suggesting Dr. Kalam's name for presidency. Again this year on April 27, 2002, I wrote to the Prime Minister, Pramod Mahajan, George Fernandes, Sonia Gandhi, Jagmohan, Omar Abdullah, P. M. Sayeed, K. Yerran Naidu, Vasundhara Raje and a few others. My submission read:
"A scientist sage, Kalam is Mr. Clean and is respected science administrator with commitment to take the nation to the 21st century. He comes from a religious Muslim family with close friendship with the Shastri family of the chief priest of Rameswaram temple. A true believer in secularism and democracy, Kalam represents our national commitment to `Unity in Diversity'. A vegetarian and teetotaller he is a Veena maestro and a poet of some achievement. Dr. Kalam is the worthy son of Mother India to be our next President. I request you to propose Kalam's name for the presidency of the Republic."
What I said about Dr. Kalam has been validated by the acceptance speech of the President. Dr. Kalam has demonstrated his leadership quality and the national vision in his published works Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds. His recent lectures have demonstrated his wide vision of a strong, vibrant and progressive technoscientific nation free from poverty and backwardness. Dr. Kalam's India is a "technoscientific knowledge superpower 2020."
Independent thinker
Admittedly, there is a paradox of Dr. Kalam: a Muslim who is loved and respected by majority Hindus and Christians. An independent thinker and visionary who in practice is a technoscientific man. A kind hearted man, Dr. Kalam does not believe in killing or hurting others, yet devoted to space exploration and is known as the Missile Man. Deeply committed to make the country of one billion people strong and secure, yet he has no sectarian or electoral constituency. God-trusting President Kalam has asked the people to be self-reliant. He says: "God has not promised you sunshine, always. But He assured sound sleep for hardworking man, always."
A brahmachari, President Kalam has devoted his life to the service of his nation, spends his time and money in helping the disadvantaged, blind, and needy school children. The President who belonged to no political party had received 90 per cent votes of all sections and faiths. Dr. Kalam asked no one to support or propose his name. George Bush was reported to have spent $4 millions and manipulated the electoral process to get the presidency. But Kalam spent not a single paisa to win the presidency of the biggest democracy in the world. Dr. Kalam has become a role model for the technoscientific students and professionals. But as the President of the Republic he is the guiding star for entire political elite.
Dr. Kalam hails from Rameswaram, the southernmost end of India. But his name was initiated from the northernmost State of Uttaranchal. President Kalam's vision of India transcends all divisive lines of caste, gender, religion and region. He has also closed the gap between engineering and science, and in his wisdom he has united philosophy and faith in satyam.
DHIRENDRA SHARMA
Director, Centre for Science and Industrial Policy Research
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