As India’s moon mission takes off, remembering Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the man behind the dream

15 July 2023

New Delhi, July 15: India took a big technological leap on Friday when it sent a spacecraft to land on the moon.

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The successful launch of Chandrayaan-3 is being talked about globally as a big feat, which only the US, former Soviet Union and China have achieved so far.

On this special moment, the country’s scientific community remembers Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, India’s ace scientist, whose work at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) laid the foundations for the country’s moon mission.

Ziraat Times today brings this special story on why the Chandrayan mission is important and what role Dr APJ Abdul Kalam has played in it.

Why the Chandrayan-3 mission is important

Chandrayan-3 is the country’s third lunar mission, and it will be the first expected to soft-land near the moon’s south pole. This is significant because scientists believe that the south pole could be a good place to look for water ice, which could be a valuable resource for future human exploration of the moon.

Chandrayaan-3 will carry a number of new scientific instruments, including a spectrometer to study the composition of the lunar surface, a radar to map the lunar subsurface, and a seismometer to study the moon’s internal structure. These instruments will help scientists to better understand the moon’s history and evolution.

If successful, it will be the first time that ISRO has soft-landed a spacecraft on the moon. The success of Chandrayaan-3 is expected demonstrate India’s growing capabilities in space exploration, and it will help to boost the country’s scientific and technological prestige.

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s scientific legacy

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam – whose full name is Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam – is widely recognised to have played a key role in India’s space mission. He was a scientist and engineer who worked on a number of important projects, including the development of the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV). Importantly, he was instrumental in the development of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which is India’s workhorse launch vehicle, and which has taken Chandrayan into space this week.

At ISRO he inspired scientists and engineers, and was liked as an ver-smiling and visionary leader who helped to shape the country’s space program.

Dr Kalam was the project director of the SLV-III, which successfully launched India’s first Rohini satellite into orbit in 1980. This was a major achievement for India in that era, as it made the country an independent spacefaring nation.

Dr Kalam was also the chief executive of the IGMDP, which developed a number of missiles, including the Agni and Prithvi.

Dr Kalam’s peer scientists remember him as a gifted scientist and engineer who led the team at ISRO in the design and development of rocketry and missile technology.

Rising to become the president of India from 2002 to 2007, Dr Kalam’s contributions to India’s space mission have been recognized by many awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award.

About Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s career, family and personal life

Dr Kalam was born on October 15, 1931, in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, India. He was the youngest of four children born to Jainulabdeen, a boat owner and imam of a local mosque, and Ashiamma, a housewife.

Kalam was a bright student and excelled in mathematics and physics. He attended the Schwartz Higher Secondary School in Ramanathapuram and then went on to study physics at Saint Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli. After graduating from college, Kalam joined the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) as a scientist. He worked on a variety of projects, including the development of the Prithvi missile and the Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV).

In 1970, Kalam joined the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as a project director. He played a key role in the development of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) and the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV). He was also responsible for the development of the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS).

In 2002, Kalam was elected as the 11th President of India. He served as president for five years, and during his time in office, he focused on promoting science and technology, education, and national integration. He was a popular president, and he was known for his simple lifestyle and his down-to-earth personality.

Kalam died on July 27, 2015, at the age of 83.

Some of the awards and honors that Kalam received: