APJ and his vision

DEVELOPED INDIA
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
The President of India
“I have three visions for India.
In 3000 years of our history, people from all over the world have come and
invaded us, captured our lands, conquered our minds. From Alexander onwards.
The Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the
Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours. Yet we have not
done this to any other nation. We have not conquered anyone. We have not
grabbed their land, their culture, their history and tried to enforce our way of life
on them.
Why? Because we respect the freedom of others. That is why my first vision is
that of FREEDOM. I believe that India got its first vision of this in 1857, when we
started the war of independence. It is this freedom that we must protect and
nurture and build on. If we are not free, no one will respect us.
My second vision for India is DEVELOPMENT. For fifty years we have been a
developing nation. It is time we see ourselves as a developed nation. We are
among top 5 nations of the world in terms of GDP. We have 10 percent growth
rate in most areas. Our poverty levels are falling. Our achievements are being
globally recognized today. Yet we lack the self-confidence to see ourselves as a
developed nation, self- reliant and self-assured. Isn’t this incorrect?
I have a THIRD vision.
India must stand up to the world. Because I believe that, unless India stands up
to the world, no one will respect us. Only strength respects strength. We must be
strong not only as a military power but also as an economic power. Both must go
hand-in-hand. My good fortune was to have worked with three great minds. Dr.
Vikram Sarabhai of the Dept. of space, Professor Satish Dhawan, who
succeeded him and Dr.Brahm Prakash, father of nuclear material. I was lucky to
have worked with all three of them closelyand consider this the great opportunity
of my life.
I see four milestones in my career:
Twenty years I spent in ISRO. I was given the opportunity to be the project
director for India’s first satellite launch vehicle, SLV3. The one that launched
Rohini. These years played a very important role in my life of Scientist.
After my ISRO years, I joined DRDO and got a chance to be the part of India’s
guided missile program. It was my second bliss when Agni met its mission
requirements in 1994.
The Dept. of Atomic Energy and DRDO had this tremendous partnership in the
recent nuclear tests, on May 11 and 13. This was the third bliss.
The joy of participating with my team in these nuclear tests and proving to the
world that India can make it, that we are no longer a developing nation but one of
them. It made me feel very proud as an Indian. The fact that we have now
developed for Agni a re-entry structure, for which we have developed this new
material. A Very light material called carbon-carbon. One day an orthopedic
surgeon from Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences visited my laboratory. He lifted
the material and found it so light that he took me to his hospital and showed me
his patients. There were these little girls and boys with heavy metallic calipers
weighing over three Kg. each, dragging their feet around. He said to me: Please
remove the pain of my patients. In three weeks, we made these Floor reaction
Orthosis 300-gram Calipers and took them to the orthopedic center. The children
didn’t believe their eyes. From dragging around a three kg. Load on their legs,
they could now move around! Their parents had tears in their eyes. That was my
fourth bliss!
Why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to
recognize our own strengths, our achievements? We are such a great nation.
We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them.
Why?
We are the first in milk production.
We are number one in Remote sensing satellites.
We are the second largest producer of wheat.
We are the second largest producer of rice.
Look at Dr. Sudarshan, he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining,
self driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only
obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.
I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day
after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas
had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture Of a Jewish
gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert land into an orchid and a
granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of
killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among
other news.
In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime. Why are we so
NEGATIVE ? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with
foreign things? We want foreign TVs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign
technology. Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that
self-respect comes with self-reliance?
I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my
autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied:
I want to live in a developed India. For her, you and I will have to build this
developed India. You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is
a highly developed nation.
Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance. Got 10
minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours.
YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. YOU say that the
phones don’t work, the railways are a joke, The airline is the worst in the world,
mails never reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.
YOU say, say and say.
What do YOU do about it?
Take a person on his way to Singapore. Give him a name - YOURS. Give him a
face - OURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best.
In Singapore you don’t throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores.
YOU are as proud of their Underground Links as they are.
You pay $5 (approx. Rs.60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim
Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU comeback to the
Parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or
a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity.
In Singapore you don’t say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn’t dare to eat in
public during Ramadan, in Dubai. YOU would not dare to go out without your
head covered in Jeddah. YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the
telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, “see to it that
my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else.” YOU would not dare to speed
beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, “Jaanta hai
sala main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so’s son. Take your
two bucks and get lost.” YOU wouldn’t chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere
other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand. Why
don’t YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo?
Why don’t YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston? We
are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign
system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and
cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an
involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the
same here in India?
Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay,
Mr.Tinaikar, had a point to make. “Rich people’s dogs are walked on the streets
to leave their affluent droppings all over the place,” he said. “And then the same
people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty
pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every
time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels?
In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job.
Same in Japan. Will the Indian citizen do that here?” He’s right. We go to the
polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back
wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us
whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up
but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we
going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We
expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the
proper use of bathrooms.
We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but
we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.
This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the
public. When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women,
dowry, girl child and others, we make loud drawing room Protestations and
continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? “It’s the whole system which
has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons’ rights to a dowry.” So
who’s going to change the system?
What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our
neighbors, other households, other cities, other communities and the
government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually
making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our
families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and
wait for a Mr. Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep
of his hand or we leave the country and run away.
Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory
and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England.
When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the
Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home
by the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country.
Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.
Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of
introspection and pricks one’s conscience too....I am echoing J.F.Kennedy’s
words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians.....
“ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO
MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE
TODAY”
Lets do what India needs from us. Forward this mail to each Indian for a change
instead of sending Jokes or junk mails.
Thank you
Abdul Kalam

Do not run (Life is an Incridible journey)

Do not run through life so fast that you forget not only
Where you have been, but also where you are going
Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the
Way.

Take a deep breath on every step of your life.
Feel the good and bad. A coin will be valued only
it has a head and a tail. Similarly a complete human being
is the one who takes everything which comes along the path of
His journey and feel and learn from them. Please do not skip the
moments in life.

If anybody realize that they are running in there life, please read
“The Monk Who Sold his Ferrari” by robin sharma. It is a
Wonder full book. After reading this you Keep Walking.....!

Balance your Life

Imagine a life as game, where you are juggling with five balls in the air,

You name them as work, family, health, friends and spirit respectively, and you are keeping all these balls in the air. You will soon understand that work is a Rubber ball, if you drop it, it will bounce back and you can regain it.

But the other four balls, family, health, friends and spirits are made up of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed/damaged or even shattered, and they will never be the same.

You must understand that and strive for balance in life.

Master your time (Plan the work, and execute the plan)

On the next day I went to office. As usual I started working in the same phase as in India. At sharp 4:00 PM, suddenly realized that, every body leaving the office. Oh god. Suddenly my colleague came and asked me, Kaam katam, Chal kalti maarthe hain bhola. I was amazed, and in tension I told, not yet. Suddenly he told Abhe saale abhi thak kya kar raha tha.. Jhaldhi katam kar mere koo nikalneeko hain (finally some how I could able to convince him to get 30 minutes of grace period). But finally I ended up in consuming 2 hrs more in finishing my job.

When I came out, it was very dark and cold (At 5:30 itself!!). Then he started telling me about the way people work here, and the time management. He asked me to plan the work for the day (in the beginning of the day itself), and execute the plan. I have not considered his words seriously.

The next day it was as usual and the same thing happened, my colleague’s were very kind enough to wait for me. After reaching the home he asked me, are you too busy? I told yes. Then he asked me, what your current responsibilities are. I gave him a list. After seeing the list he told, even I do much more than this. But why you could not able to complete the same task within 4. I think you are inefficient!!!. This time I was seriously considered the “Plan the Work and Execute the plan” concept, but I was unsuccessful on 3rd day also

This time I was alone in office (Only I had was, the directions given by my friends, and the commuter train schedule sheet). With no other go I have to take a train. I started walking towards the Route128 station (around 15 minutes walk in 0 degree, without any sweater/jacket!!), it was a very cold and dark evening. I caught a commuter train and went to a place called South station (Center of the Boston city). From there I have to take a red line, Like Mumbai (Eastern, Western and Coastal), here also there are few railway lines red, silver, blue and green respectively. I went near the ticket counter (it was an automated one). I put a 5 dollar (with the fear. Kuch bhi bahar nahin nikalathooo) and I asked for 1.25 tickets. Machine gave me the ticket and a change. I took a train and proceeded towards the Quincy Center (From here I have to take a bus to home). In QC I was waiting for more than an hour to get a bus, really that was my transformation period. It was very cold; I had wasted around 2 hrs, and spent around 12 dollars. Now i decided, no I cant pay this penalty any more,

The next day onwards I started planning for the day before starting my work, and this time I was very much serious about my plan, I didn’t wasted my time. I could able to finish all the work 2 hrs before the usual timing (4), I was amazed by this result.

So what I am trying to convey is, we should plan the work, and should execute the plan, so that we can spare lot of time to ourselves and the family.

One of the interesting points I have seen in this (US) people is time management.

Bangalore To Boston

I belong to a small town in India (Sakleshpur), which is located in the banks of river Hemavathi, I was also spent more of my student life in remote villages and also seen metropolitan life too, in India. Now I am going to see the land of opportunities (U.S).


I am just trying to explain my traveling tale from Boston airport to apartment. When I first landed up here in Boston, only I could see is lot of directions (and few people here and there), in the first sight itself, I felt very lonely. I picked up my huge suitcases, and followed the directions; finally I could manage to get an exit. There was a queue for a cab (actually each and every person has to take next available cab in the line), One of the cab driver (second in the line) signed me, to go to him, since he was looking like an Indian (I broken the rules for the first time I entered US!!!) I went to him (Later I found that he is from Egypt), and he asked me the address, I gave him a small chit of paper. He looked at me once (sarcastically), then he started feeding the address in to his GPS. In a doubt I said, sir it is Faxon commons apartment. In a strict voice, the driver said, sir I have fed the address, don’t worry I will get the address.

During the journey I asked him, what will be the temperature here, he told it is 50 degree Fahrenheit (Really it was daamn cold). The amazing thing was even though sun looks brighter here, temperature will be very less, sometimes zero degree). Then he asked me what will be the luggage limit in british airwys, I told it’s 64 Kilograms. He was bit confused and he started calculating in pounds (Sir I think it is 140.8 pounds.. Good mathematics, even I don’t know how many lbs per Kg). Then I realized, people here use FPS system, where as we use MKS.

It was around 20 minutes drive. With curiosity I started looking at the GPS. It was directing wonderfully (In advance, the device use to alert after how many miles you have to take a next turn, and to which direction, every thing was so clear). On the way I could only able to see few cars going around. The road was so neat (hardly you can find people walking on the road). All the drivers were following the lane discipline and also the signal. Suddenly the daily traffic near Mararthahalli Bridge in Bangalore came to my mind (hoof’s). But we can’t help because our population is more, and that’s what messing up our plans in India. In contrary here the population is soo less and due to this they could organize the things properly.

There are instances (Later in Boston) where, during the peak hours traffic use to pile up here, and i have seen people braking the rules here too (Forget about our Indian huge traffic, which use to test our height of patience, these people will be much more aggressive if they are thrown to such a situations!!).

Ohh, i think am getting diverted from my topic. Let me go back. Finally I reached the apartment, It was good (but not as lively as our Mumabai Lokhandawala apartment, where I use to live when I was in mumbai). Before landing itself I thought that I should be very cautious about my expenditures now on (Dollar conversion!!!!!, a big driving factor for my US trip). I asked taxi driver about the meter reading, he coolly told it’s just 47.50 sir. (Ohhh!. Main mann main he bholtha raha, aare saleee what laggayina thera…., Kuch nahi karsaktha. Chaal nikhaaal paisa….sorry dolllllar). I gave him a fifty dollar note, and asked for a bill. He gave me bill, and spontaneously said thank you sir (In fact I was expecting for a 2.50 back). With a disappointment I took a luggage and moved towards the apartment. There I saw two Indian couples struggling to get there baggage’s till the lift (They have just came from India, in fact the same flight which I had come). I thought of helping them (Even though I had a 64 Kg luggage with me. EEdhaar mera phat rahatha upar se main kisi aur ko help karne jarahahoon). I helped them by pulling some bags till lift, during the process of helping meraa kaamar pakadliya ….(That is a different story altogether)

That’s how I reached the Faxon commans apartment, Where we can see lot of desi people (Instead, I can say mostly you can see Indian people living here).

I will writ more on my experience in my following letters.