An Evening With The Missile Man Of India...

~~~ 

Yesterday was ominous.

All of us know why I am saying so.

The Missile Man Of India,

The People's President. 

Bharat's Ratna,

A True Indian. 

Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam aimed for the heavens, yesterday, with his wings of fire. 

An inspiration for millions, the luminary breathed his last while pursuing his passion - delivering a lecture, to guide the students at IIM Shillong, on the subject which most interested him and his envisioning of 2020 - 'The Livable Planet Earth'. 

I had been fortunate enough and feel honored to say that I had attended one such conference, as yesterday's where Sir spent his last moments, albeit at the Teen Murti Bhavan on October 30, 2014. 

While I had found those photographs in my portable hard drive just last week and planned to chronicle the same sometime around now, I had not, in my wildest dreams imagined that the reason to pen the post would pursue a different course altogether. 

While it is a matter of pride that I had spent a significant sixteen minutes that day, listening to, and admiring Sir's oratory skills - the time which has come to a standstill for me, I now realize that living in the moment is a priceless experience. 

For, it is at the moment that you're able to cherish the incident. This is a fact, which holds true for those students and Sir, yesterday, as well as for that day, when Sir had graced the inauguration of the exhibition, "The Nobel Prize: Ideas Changing The World".

It was heartening to see that Professor George Smoot, a Nobel Laureate, had flown down for the occasion, and Kailash Satyarthi, who was at that time, yet to be awarded the Nobel Prize, had chosen to grace the gathering as well.

Alongside the inauguration, there was also, a seminar based on 'How Can Scientific Creativity Deliver The Greatest Benefit To Humankind?'

I feel that Dr. Kalam was the best person to speak about the importance of science and technology and its benefit to mankind. There couldn't have been anyone better than him to delve on this subject.

It came as no surprise when he stepped on the dais.

There was pin-drop silence as he began to speak with the facade of the historic Teen Murti Bhavan as a humble backdrop.

They didn't call him as the People's President, for no reason. Without any air about himself having been a former President of the Nation, the effortlessness and the pleasant smile with which he greeted all those who were present at the gathering was admirable. 

Even afterward, when all the dignitaries and the members of the audience were led into the main building for the inauguration of the gallery of exhibits, he was ever-so-involved, praising the course the Nobel Museum had taken and the numerous revolutionary ideas, it had felicitated over the past years. 

The moment to be 'freeze-frame'-d was however yet to come. As I approached Sir, with my Book and a Pen for him to sign, in hand, he intently told me that he would sign that page with his own Pen. 

And, am I thankful to heavens for that? I sure am. Even the INK from such an illustrious individual's PEN is an invaluable gift. 

Signed,

Greetings 

APJ Abdul Kalam

What you don't see in the image, however, is the fact that the final stroke towards the edge of the page has done a full curve around the rest of the pages of the book, and come back to the current page. 

It is like the underline did a full orbit, like a real Missile and landed back on Earth. :)

Such was Sir's perseverance and dedication towards his passion, that it reflected even in ink. 

As I close this post, I leave you with the oration delivered by Sir, at the occasion.

It is a sixteen-minute long audio recording. It is a prized possession for me, especially now. 

May your soul RIP, Sir.