MY CHILDHOOD

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam)

• He was an Indian scientist and politician who played a leading role in the
development of India’s missile and nuclear weapons programs.
• He was a president of India from 2002 to 2007.
• Dr. Kalam wrote several books, including an autobiography, Wings of Fire (1999).
• Among his numerous awards were two of the country’s highest honours, the Padma
Vibhushan (1990) and the Bharat Ratna (1997).
• He is known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic
missile and launch vehicle technology.
• He received honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions.

About the chapter

'My Childhood' is an extract from Abdul Kalam's book Wings of Fire. It is about Kalam's
childhood. This autobiographical piece focuses on human values like generosity, kindnesss,
honesty, hard work and secular outlook. Kalam belonged to a middle-class family. All these
values were inherited by Dr. Abdul Kalam from his parents who were kind-hearted and liberal.
With sheer hard work, sincerity and dedication, he rose to be a world-class scientist. It was
under his leadership that India became a nuclear power and made many types of missiles. He
became India's President in 2002. He had grand vision of the future of India. It was his ardent
desire to see India as a world power. His love for the common man, especially children, made
him a popular figure. In My Childhood, he describes his house and family. He tells us how he
earned his first wages, his new teacher's casteist action and his inheritance of human values.
The focus of the narrative is on positive qualities that ensure one's success in life.

Questions

Q1. Comment on the kind of life Kalam lived as a young boy.

Q2. How did Samsuddin help Abdul Kalam earn his first wages?
Q3. How did Abdul’s father console his wife when Abdul left Rameswaram for higher
studies?
Q4. Narrate the two incidents in the chapter ‘My Childhood’ that show how differences can
be created and also how they can be resolved.
Q5. Parents play a great role in the proper upbringing of their children. What role did Abdul
Kalam’s parents play in moulding his personality and making him one of the greatest men?
Q6. What do you think of liberal values and the spirit of secularism? Discuss in the context of
the chapter ‘My Childhood’.

Research Work

Conduct a short research on the topic -‘A Comparative Study on the Rich Culture of India
and UAE- A Hub of Cultural Diversity’