Dr.

APJ Abdul Kalam’s Speech on Education

Address and Interaction during the Silver Jubilee Celebration of EMEA College of
Arts and Science, Malappuram

05/Feb/2008 : Malappuram

It doesn’t matter who I am,

I will work, work and work,
All the forces of the universe will also assist me,
I will achieve what I dream,
Even reaching any part of our Galaxy

I am delighted to participate in the inaugural ceremony of Silver Jubilee

Celebrations of Ernad Muslim Educational Association (EMEA) and interact with
Students and faculty members of EMEA College of Art and Science. I congratulate the
Principal, Teachers, Students and Staff of this college, both present and past and also all
those who have contributed for building the robust framework in shaping young minds
and developing them to blossom as enlightened citizens for the nation. My Greetings to
all of you during your Silver Jubilee Celebrations.
While I am with you, I would like to recall one incident, which occurred during my
childhood (Age 10). Each day when I returned home from my school in the evening, my
father would have gone to namaz. And my mother would be performing namaz and look
angelic. After Thakbhir position, she will recite two suras from Holy Quran. One starts
with Alhamdhu, and the other "Lakkum, Theenukum". One day I asked my parents what
is the meaning of Lakkum Theenukum? My mother in a graceful voice recited the sura
"Lakkum Theenukum Valiyatheen" that is the end of the sura Alkhafeerun. My father
said, “it means, everyone follows a path. He or she who decides the path is accountable
for the actions". My father who was Imam of the local mosque elaborated, “my son, I
meet my friends quite often as you would have seen me with Pakshi Lakshmana
Shastrigal and Rev Father Bodal.” Pakshi Lakshmana Shastrigal was a great Hindu
devotee and the head priest of Rameswaram Siva Temple and Rev Father Bodal had built
our Island's first church. In my childhood, I was indeed blessed to hear the discussion of
the great three personalities. At least once in a week they met and discussed on
integration of thoughts from Holy Quran, Holy Bible and Bhagavat Gita. From the
essence of their saying, I learnt, whatever religion you are, the path you select will lead
you to the bliss, based on your good action.
The topic I have selected for the discussion is “No youth today need to fear about the
future”

Mission in life

Dear friends, when I see you all, I see in you great doctors, great engineers, great social
workers, great teachers, great judges, great political leader, even I see some of you may
have an opportunity to reach and live in Mars. Let me share with you, what are the traits
needed to accomplish these goals based on my experience.
I have seen three dreams which have taken shape as vision, mission and realization.
Firstly, space programme of ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), AGNI
programme of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and PURA
(Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas) becoming the National Mission. Of course
these three programmes succeeded in the midst of many challenges and problems. I have
worked in these areas. I want to convey to you what I have learnt from these three
programmes based on my personal experience.
a. Wherever there is a dream in life, that transforms into a vision and vision takes shape
as many missions.
b. The necessity of high level thinking to transform the Vision into Missions.
c. Acquisition of knowledge from all sources.
d. Working and working without boundary conditions till the realization of the mission.
e. Leader absorbs the failure and takes the responsibility and gives the credit for success
to his team while executing the Mission

The experience that I have discussed with you friends, has given me few verses for you to
remember in your life.

Mission in life
I am great in thinking and in action.
I firmly believe that I can do any mission.
I will dream to live even in Mars.
 It doesn’t matter who I am,
I will work, work and work,
All the forces of the universe will also assist me,
I will achieve what I dream,
I will also reach any part of our Galaxy.

Dear friends, now I would like to share with you some of the experiences and knowledge,
I had during my education.

Giving an aim at right age

When I think of my childhood days, I am reminded of Shri Sivasubramania Iyer who

taught me when I was studying in 5th class at the age of 10. He was one of the very good
teachers in our school. All of us loved to attend his class and hear him. One day he was
teaching about bird's flight. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard depicting the
wings, tail and the body structure with the head. He explained how the birds create the lift
and fly. He also explained to us how they change direction while flying. Nearly for 25
minutes he gave the lecture with various information such as lift, drag, how the birds fly
in a formation of 10, 20 or 30. At the end of the class, he wanted to know whether we
understood how the birds fly. I said I did not understand how the birds fly. When I said
this, the teacher asked the other students whether they understood or not. Many students
said that they also did not understand. Our response did not upset him, since he was a
committed teacher.
Our teacher said that he would take all of us to the seashore. That evening the whole class
was at the sea shore of Rameswaram. We enjoyed the roaring sea waves knocking at the
sandy hills in the pleasant evening. Birds were flying with sweet chirping voice. He
showed the sea birds in formations of 10 to 20 numbers. We saw the marvelous
formations of birds with a purpose and we were all amazed. He showed us the birds and
asked us to see that when the birds fly, what they looked like. We saw the wings flapping.
He asked us to look at the tail portion with the combination of flapping wings and
twisting tail. We noticed closely and found that the birds in that condition flew in the
direction they desired. Then he asked us a question, where the engine is and how it is
powered. Bird is powered by its own life and the motivation of what it wants. All these
things were explained to us within Fifteen minutes. We all understood the whole bird
dynamics from this practical example. How nice it was? Our teacher was a great teacher;
he could give us a theoretical lesson coupled with a live practical example available in
nature. This is real teaching. I am sure many of the teachers in schools and colleges will
follow this example.
For me, it was not merely an understanding of how a bird flies. The bird's flight entered
into me and created a special feeling. From that evening, I thought that my future study
has to be with reference to flight and flight systems. I am saying this because my
teacher's teaching and the event that I witnessed decided my future career. Then one
evening after the classes, I asked the teacher, "Sir, please tell me, how to progress further
in learning all about flight." He patiently explained to me that I should complete 8th
class, and then go to high school, and then I should go to engineering college that may
lead to education on flight. If I complete all my education with excellence, I might do
something connected with flight sciences. This advice and the bird flying exercise given
by my teacher, really gave me a goal and a mission for my life. When I went to college, I
took Physics. When I went to engineering in Madras Institute of Technology, I took
Aeronautical Engineering.

Thus my life was transformed as a rocket engineer, aerospace engineer and technologist.
That one incident of my teacher teaching the lesson, showing the visual live example
proved to be a turning point in my life which eventually shaped my profession.

Teacher becomes a family friend

I remember Rev Father TN Sequiera teaching Shakespeare in St. Joseph’s college, Trichy
where I studied. The students used to say even Shakespeare would be moved if he hears
his lecture. Teacher knows what the student needs. It was true. He was also our new
Hostel Warden. Every day Father Sequiera used to make a night visit to the hostels. It
was called Father’s visit. One day, I recall, my room mate M Sachithanandam was not
well. When Father Sequiera met him he asked him what the problem was. He told him
that he was having headache. For immediate relief, Father took aspirin from his robe and
gave him the tablet. With concern, he immediately sent him to the doctor. In another
incident he gave an inland letter to my friend in the next room and asked him to write to
his parents, because Father Sequiera came to know that he was not writing to his parents.
This is a beautiful experience and learning for me. Students saw in Fr Sequiera with
parental care. In St. Joseph’s College Library, Father Sequiera used to take special
English class between 6 to 7 PM in the evenings for students who came from language
medium schools. He also initiated us to read novels and biographies in simple English in
six weeks time we were all comfortable in all English medium classes.
Teacher who loves teaching

Another great teacher, who is a living legend now is Prof. Chinnadurai. He taught me
physics, particularly nuclear physics. The way the Professor taught, many students started
loving physics, particularly nuclear physics. Rev Father Chinnadurai, when he was taking
lessons used to give reference articles and good reference books, which the students can
read. And the physics teacher ensured that we all refer physics textbooks during the
lecture instead of only reading the notes. This widened the horizon of the learning of the
students on a particular topic. In his 90’s Fr Chinnadurai is staying in Dindigal and I meet
him whenever I am in that area. The method of teaching of Fr Chinnadurai is important
for making the student a life long autonomous learner, which is essential for continuous
contribution for the growth of individual, and thereby to the nation. The best learning
takes place when the teacher infuses a creative learning habit in the students and makes it
an enjoyable part of life long quest for knowledge. Even today whenever I meet him, he
radiates his sense of enlightenment.

Teacher radiates knowledge

Now I would like to discuss about my mathematics teacher Prof Thothadri Iyengar. As a
young science student, I had an opportunity at St. Joseph’s College to witness a unique
scene of divine looking personality walking through the college campus every morning,
and teaching Mathematics to various degree courses. Students looked at the personality
who was a symbol of our own culture, with awe and respect. When he walked,
knowledge radiated all around. The great personality was, Prof Thothadri Iyengar, our
teacher. At that time, ‘Calculus Srinivasan who was my mathematics teacher, used to talk
about Prof Thothadri Iyengar with deep respect. They had an understanding to have an
integrated class by Thothadri Iyengar for first year B.Sc. (Hons) and first year B.Sc.
(Physics). Thus, I had the opportunity to attend his classes, particularly on modern
algebra, statistics and complex variables. When we were in the B.Sc first year, Calculus
Srinivasan used to select top ten students to the Mathematics Club of St. Joseph’s, whom
were addressed by Prof Thothatri Iyengar. I still remember, in 1952, he gave a masterly
lecture on ancient mathematicians and astronomers of India. In that lecture, he introduced
four great mathematicians and astronomers of India, which is still ringing in my ears.
They are Aryabhata, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Brahmagupta, Bhaskaracharya. Let me
discuss one. Prof. Thothatri Iyengar explained, based on his analysis, that Aryabhata was
both an astronomer and mathematician, born in 476 AD in Kusuma-pura (now called
Patna). He was known to represent a summary of all Maths at that point of time. Just
when he was only 23 years old, he wrote his book ARYABHATIYAM in two parts. He
covered important areas like arithmetic, algebra (first ever contributor), trigonometry and
of course, astronomy. He gave formulae for the areas of a triangle and a circle and
attempted to give the volumes of a sphere and a pyramid. He was the first to give value of
“pie”. He discovered that the earth takes about 365 days to orbit around the sun. Prof.
Thothatri Iyengar always puts the student to take a pride in India’s contribution in
astronomy and mathematics and puts the students ahead. This great teacher combined his
knowledge of science with his deep insight into many aspects of our civilisational
heritage.

Teacher empowers the students with moral science

While I was in St. Joseph’s College, I uniquely remember the lectures given by the
highest authority of the Jesuit institution Rev Father Rector Kalathil. Every Monday, he
will take a class for an hour. He used to talk about good human beings present and past
and what makes a good human being. In this class he used to give lectures on
personalities such as Lord Buddha, Confucius, St. Augustine, Califa Omar, Mahatma
Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln and moral stories linked to our civilizational
heritage. In the moral science class, Father Kalathil used to highlight the best aspect of,
how the great personalities have been evolved as good human beings through parental
care, teaching and companionship of great books. Even though these lessons were given
to me in 1950’s during my college days, they inspire me even today. It is essential that in
the schools and colleges, lectures are given by great teachers of the institution once in a
week for one hour on civilizational heritage and derived value system. This may be called
as Moral Science Class that will elevate the young minds to love the country, to love the
other human beings and elevate them to higher planes. Moral science class of Father
Kalathil paves the way.

Conclusion

Friends, India today has a mission of transforming itself into a developed nation with
value system. This is a great challenge. This can be achieved through our youth power.
Youth has got the power of ideas, ambition, enthusiasm and ability. This resource of the
youth is an important building block for transforming India into a developed nation.
Friends I would like to assert that “No youth today need to fear about the future”. How?
If you have an aim in life, realize that spent time cannot be recovered hence the precious
time has to be used for achieving the goal, have confidence to win, have confidence to
defeat the problems and succeed and have a righteous heart, you will definitely succeed
in all your missions.
The teachers in student’s life, what they can give? In an integrated way it can be said, that
any enlightened human being can be created by the teacher through providing two unique
characteristics. One is building capacities among the students to inquire, to innovate, be
creative, entrepreneurship and moral leadership. Second is the development of moral
value system. The noble life practiced by the teacher indeed becomes a beacon light to
the students. Let us hear the tribute given by the great teacher Albert Einstein to the
teacher: “The ideals which have lighted my way, time after time, have given new course
to face life cheerfully have been kindness, beauty and truth”. This is the mission of a
teacher. It will be a God given gift to the student, to have great teachers who can give and
give the learning module and the way of beautiful life.
With these words, let me once again greet you all on the occasion of Silver Jubilee
Celebrations. My best wishes to all the Students, Teachers, and Staff of EMEA College of
Art and Science success in their missions of developing as enlightened citizens and
actively participating in transforming India into a developed nation well before 2020.

I would like to administer a seven point oath

1. Wherever I am, a thought will always come to my mind. That is “What can I give?”
2. Whatever the mission I will do, my motto will be “Work with integrity and succeed
with integrity”
3. I will always remember that “Let not my winged days, be spent in vain”.
4. I realize I have to set a great goal that will lead me to think high, work and realize the
goal.
5. My greatest friends will be great human beings, great teachers and great books.
6. I firmly believe that no problem can defeat me; I will become the captain of the
problem, defeat the problem and succeed.
7. My National Flag flies in my heart and I will bring glory to my nation.

May God bless you.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam,

05.02.2008