Remembering Dr Kalam on his 87th birth anniversary: The missile man and his last words before death

NEW DELHI: On 87th birth anniversary of former president APJ Abdul Kalam, fondly known as India's 'Missile Man', several celebreties and politicians took to twitter to recognise his contributions to the nation.

“Tributes to Dr. A.P.J. Abdul kalam on his birth anniversary today. His simplicity, his dedication to his profession, his patriotism & his love for children will continue to inspire us. His life will keep encouraging young people to have dreams with 'Wings of Fire’,” tweeted Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu.

Kalam was born on October 15, 1931 in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. He studied physics and aerospace engineering and came to be known for his contribution to the world of science and humanity.

Later, he was called as the 'Missile Man of India' for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology.

In 2002, Kalam became the 11th President of India.

Fondly recognized as the 'People's President', he was honoured with prestigious awards such as Padma Vibhushan, India's second-highest civilian award, and Bharat Ratna, the country's highest-civilian award.

Kalam died on 27 July 2015 at IIM Shillong while delivering a lecture to students. His last words reportedly were to his long-time aide Srijan Pal Singh "Funny guy! Are you doing well?"

In a long Facebook post three years ago, Singh penned a heartfelt tribute to his mentor, reliving the minutes before after his sudden death due to cardiac arrest.

With agency inputs