Review of the book “Spirit of India” by Dr.

APJ Abdul Kalam

Spirit of India is a book of questions put to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam during and after his tenure
as the President of India and answers given by him. He has answered all the questions in the
most interesting way and irreverent questions in a simplistic way.
I want to show to you some of the beautiful questions like;
Question put by Sara and Ali that:
Why don’t people live peacefully? People are constantly fighting over ‘mandir-masjid’, can’t
you pass or impose rules to make this world worth living? Please comment.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam answer that:
Under developed minds normally create differences. Developed minds create vision and
differences disappear.
And other question put by Kalyani Das that:
If everyone is educated who will perform the so-called low menial jobs such as sweepers,
‘dhobis’ and so on. Do you think that education for all can solve the problems of our society?
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam answer that:
No job is menial and low. Education will enrich and enable people to perform the same job
better, faster and cheaper.
A man with positive thoughts, who inculcated the same to the entire nation, addresses all the
concerns, aspirations and dreams of today's young India. From education, science, nation
building, corruption, economic imbalance, communal hatred, politics, national security, system
failure to his personal interest he answers all our questions. Not a single answer passes a
negative thought to the questioner.
Other question put by Srusbti Susarla that:
What is the main reason that made India so prosperous at one time and which is lacking today?
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam answer that:
‘Work with integrity and succeed with integrity’ – that is missing today.
His critics often question about his concern for the environment and say a missile scientist is a
destroyer for the environment and nations peace, he has answered all those questions.
Righteousness, Dream, Hard-work, Sweat, Creativity, Preserve, Acquiring Knowledge are the
words you can find in his answers consistently in his book Spirit of India.
I share one of the questions here of this book where he used the word Dream, because the
answer given by him, I think everyone should follow.
Question put by Lipsa Hebram that:
Should a person fulfil her own dreams or the expectations that other have from her?
Dr. APJ Abdul kalam answer that:
One’s own dreams has to be one’s goal in life. One should do what one likes to do.
The First edition of this book in 2010, but still most of the questions are apt for even today. A
must have book for every Indian Youth.