A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was a space scientist. He was a key driver of India’s space and missile programs. After he retired, Kalam tried to bridge the gap between rocket science and politics. A popular president (2002-2007), he accepted the proposal to run for a second term. He laid down one condition, however; the choice had to be unanimous. Some political parties didn’t agree. Politics (and politicians) did not win; the country lost. A popular president had to go after only one term.
In the U.S., the president has executive powers. In India, though every bill is sent to the president for his approval before its conversion into an act, he merely has a red-flag role. If parliament sends the same bill to him again, he has no recourse but to sign off on it.
Indians tend to see Kalam as a father figure, but not as one in authority. He was not just a father figure. An outsider in politics and free of political affiliations, he redefined and demystified Indian presidency. From India’s Missile Man, he became the People’s President.
“He pushed the country to reach new heights and to aspire to lead the way in its global rise, rather than aim to merely catch-up with the developed nations.”–Saikat Chaudhuri
In a 2008 interview with Knowledge@Wharton, Kalam explained his view of leadership. He emphasized that leaders should have a vision and not be afraid to go down unfamiliar paths. Most importantly, Kalam said, they should know how to manage failure (see video).
A teacher till the very end, on July 27, Kalam, 83, collapsed while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong. Below, some Wharton professors and Indian business leaders explain what they admired about the late president:
“President Kalam was an inspiration to all of us,” says Jagmohan Raju, Wharton professor of marketing and vice dean of Wharton Executive Education. “A man of science, equally adept at designing ballistic missiles and coronary stents, nuclear devices and tablet computers, writing computer code or poetry. When it came to leadership, [he] relied more on faith, humility and integrity. We all fondly recall his visit to Wharton where he charmed one and all equally with his wit and wisdom. [He was] a teacher who cared about students and young Indians all his life up to the very end. All of us who teach at Wharton, and all over the world, salute you Dr. Kalam. You will continue to inspire us all.”
Saikat Chaudhuri,Wharton adjunct professor of management and executive director of Wharton’s Mack Institute for Innovation Management, says he is deeply saddened by Kalam’s death not only because he was a “fine human being with multiple talents,” but because “his departure is a huge loss” for India. “The country needs many more inspiring visionaries like him to realize [its] full potential on the world stage,” says Chaudhuri. “Dr. Kalam was a ‘People’s President,’ and ignited those he met with a passion not only to contribute to India’s growth, but to aim for world-class standards in their pursuits and be the best on a global platform. He was a true nationalist, who was motivated purely by a desire to contribute to a better India and world, upholding the utmost integrity. For India to reach her potential as an economic, political, and sociocultural superpower, we need many more leaders to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Kalam. He pushed the country to reach new heights and to aspire to lead the way in its global rise, rather than aim to merely catch up with the developed nations.”
“By showing that it was possible to think big and look far, he did what the best leaders always do: recalibrate what people think is possible.”–Manish Sabharwal
Jitendra V. Singh, dean and professor of business at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and emeritus professor of management at Wharton recalls: “I was privileged to meet President Abdul Kalam not once, but several times…. In the time I spent with him, I was struck most of all by his simplicity, and almost childlike curiosity. He was extremely alert, and a great conversationalist. As I sat near him through the ceremony [when Kalam was awarded an honorary doctorate at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore], I remember thinking to myself, “What a remarkable life story; what a remarkable Indian.” We have lost a remarkable Indian. While born a Muslim, he truly embraced the spirit of being Indian, quoting, as he would from time to time, from Hindu scriptures. He will be missed, but his ideas will live on, even as India takes its rightful place in the world. This is the India he dreamed about.”
Manish Sabharwal, co-founder and chairman of TeamLease Services, India’s leading staffing company, believes that Kalam did for Indian science and politics what the IT industry did for Indian business. “He raised aspirations by catalyzing a demonstration effect. By showing that it was possible to think big and look far, he did what the best leaders always do: recalibrate what people think is possible. He was also one of the first in public life to reaffirm that you don’t have to be Western to be modern, but that India must work hard to come up with our [own] definition of modernity, which must include science, technology, innovation and equality of opportunity for all.”
“This was a President of India who commanded respect for the human being that he was, and not because of his title.”–Rajat Kumar
Allwin Agnel, founder of education network PaGaLGuY, says Kalam taught leadership to people the way it always should be done: humbly. “By humbly, leading. To touch lives by doing what is right, by never saying no to any good deed and by simply stepping up and being more. In a world of alpha leaders, he was the servant leader. Twitter A million people followed him because his words and actions always reflected his passion and willingness to help the world be a better place.”
Rajat Kumar, vice president of SnapDeal, says: “My grandparents used to tell me stories about Dr. Rajendra Prasad (India’s first president) and Lal Bahadur Shastri (India’s second prime minister), and the faith they inspired. I was looking for that inspiration from our [current] leaders, but was not really sure whether I would ever find it — until Dr. Kalam became our president. He was a great scientist, an epitome of hard work, but most importantly, a human being who was untarnished by the trappings of power. My fondest memory of him is of a speech when he was addressing some children. When a child asked something, he sat on the steps to hear what the question was, and answered it sitting right there — on the steps of the stage with the child. This was a President of India who commanded respect for the human being that he was, and not because of his title.”
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3 Comments So Far
Anonymous
A wholesome tribute to the Titan of Indian Space Research, and a gentleman president of India.His memories will be cherished for generations to come.His vision for India will be decimated and studied for several decades.
May his soul rest in Peace and inspire millions of Indian Youth to tread the path of peace , knowledge and achivement.
jai hind
Anonymous
A truly great nAboble soul, who lived up his dream! He was a man of not only vision but also of mission. He took India to great heights and wanted today’s young generation to join in his vision and mission. He died doing that on the stage of IIM, Shillong. A just man with no covert aims and profits. He never compromised on his commitments and principles. Seldom we see a human being such as Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. The leaders of India and elsewhere have a lot to learn from him. Such people never die, they shine like stars ever! May you live forever!
Anumakonda Jagadeesh
LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM DR.ABDUL KALAM:
APJ Abdul Kalam was 11th President of India and a pioneer of the country’s space and missile programmes. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1997, the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and the Padma Bhushan in 1981.
Known as the Missile Man of India, respected APJ Abdul Kalam’s contribution to science goes beyond all the material recognition bestowed upon by the society. Kalam’s significant achievement in the field of science into aerospace is well known all over the world.
Here are the 10 success lessons from APJ Abdul Kalam – “Missile Man of India” for entrepreneurs,
1. Be a leader
He inspired leadership by example. During 1980s, he was able to convince Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, to allocate funds for aerospace projects under his directorship, despite the Union Cabinet’s disapproval. These projects were instrumental in the growth of India’s space research program.
“Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.”
Indeed his last words were about the qualities that constituted a great leader.
2. Be a dreamer
Under Dr. Kalam’s leadership, a budget of INR 388 crores was sanctioned for the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) by the Union Government. The program started in 1982-83 and lasted 15 years.
After India test fired Prithvi in 1988 and Agni in 1989, under this program, many countries restricted access to any technology that would help India with its missile program. Undaunted, Kalam carried on with the dream program and this pushed India to successfully develop critical technology, indigenously. True entrepreneurs dream big and then work towards turning their dreams into reality. “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.”
3. Push the boundaries
As a young student at MIT, Kalam was told by his professor to recreate an aircraft design from the scratch or lose his scholarship. Moreover, he was given only 3 days to finish a job which ideally would have taken weeks. With sheer determination, he came up with a design that won him accolades from the same professor.
Entrepreneurs face seemingly uphill tasks with strict deadlines in a “succeed or perish” environment. The key is to apply oneself and work towards a solution. “There is no such thing as an impossible deadline”.
4. Take responsibility
During one of the test flights, for an underdevelopment aircraft surveillance system, a plane crash killed the entire crew of 8 men. That day Dr. Kalam felt the weight of being responsible for someone else.
As entrepreneurs, we lead teams. Leading teams can be challenging. Much more challenging can be sharing success and taking responsibility for failure. “Don’t pretend to be a candle, be a moth. Know the power hidden in serving.”
5. Defeat the problem and succeed!
“If you’re on a new mission or a complex task, you should also expect to experience equally challenging problems. You should not allow the problem to become your captain. You should become the captain of the problem, defeat the problem and succeed.”
These were the words Abdul Kalam’s professor gave him once and he’s followed them throughout his life and is also what he suggests to young entrepreneurs. “This may be true for everyone of you in the decision making process, venture capital acquisition, equipment procurement, commissioning equipment, paying back large loans, acquisition of human resource, training of human resource, marketing of your products and everyone of your day-to-day activities as an entrepreneur.
6. Keep fit
Successful people realize the importance of a healthy body and a healthy mind. They know that the two are inextricably inter-linked and imperative for their smooth functioning. They follow a strict regime of healthy habits which include right eating, adherence to meal times, a holistic exercise plan that suits one’s age and a mind full of positivity. It is established that the first three invariably impact the fourth.
7. Be tenacious
After his longstanding dream of becoming a pilot with India Air Force got shattered, young Kalam got his act together and accepted an opportunity with the Ministry of Defence. He convinced himself that much better opportunities lay ahead. In his words, “Man needs difficulties in life because they are necessary to enjoy the success”.
8. Think different
Kalam never believed in doing a run-of-the-mill job and encouraged others to do things differently, especially the younger generation. He believed that entrepreneurship should be included as a course in India’s, which is otherwise a rote-learning based educational system.
He once said, “My message, especially to young people is to have courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed. These are great qualities that they must work towards. This is my message to the young people.”
9. Connect with people
In the mad race for success, we often distance people and embrace numbers. If this is inadvertent and not deliberate, the realization of the same comes as a shock to even oneself. Gregarious that we are by nature, it is in our best interest that we make an effort to know our neighbors/surroundings and keep in touch with our family. This also helps in self introspection of oneself.
10. Work hard
Even during his last day, Dr. Kalam never stepped back an inch to deliver that speech. “The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work.” This saying shows how Dr. Kalam used to define the day by working hard.
Dr.A.Jagadeesh Nellore(AP),India