Kalam's Legacy of Integrity

A good seven years after successfully completing his tenure as the 11th President of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, better known as the ‘missile man of India’ , led an active life delivering lectures and furthering the cause of education, by interacting with a wide cross section of people. It would not be an overstatement to say that he was as popular with the masses as before, even after leaving Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Somewhere around 2014, Dr Kalam was invited to a function in Erode, Tamil Nadu organized by Sowbaghya Enterprises, a leading manufacturer of wet grinders based at Coimbatore. Down south, the wet grinder enjoys cult status and is used to prepare batter for making mouthwatering south Indian delicacies like Dosas & Idlis. A permanent fixture in every household, the kitchen appliance also figured in the populist schemes of political parties of all hues.

After the function, the company gifted a grinder to Dr Kalam. Though Dr Kalam was in need of a grinder as he didn’t have one at home, he refused to accept it as a gift. Instead, a cheque dated August 25, 2014 for Rs 4,850 was issued in favor of the company. The company out of respect for Dr Kalam, did not deposit the cheque for quite some time.

After a month they received a call from Dr Kalam’s office with an enquiry as to why the instrument was not encashed. Finally, it was deposited when Dr Kalam made it clear that he would return the grinder.

Great men leave their imprints on the sands of time. Their spotlesslyclean image is an enigma! Their simple lives-a beacon to many enveloped in the material world and busy with mundane pursuits.

He didn’t have a TV for many years; donated everything he had and left the world empty handed.

Sir,
If everyone of us will follow in your footsteps , Satya Yuga can’t be far behind.

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