EARLY INFLUENCES - A.P.J.ABDUL KALAM

EARLY INFLUENCES  - A.P.J.ABDUL KALAM

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Introduction

‘Early Influences’ is an extract from Dr. A. B. J. Abdul Kalam’s autobiography “Wings of Fire”. It narrates his boyhood days and the influence of different man on him during the period.

Jallaluddin and Kalam

     Ahmed Jallaluddin, a relative of Kalam helped his father to build a boat. Later he married Kalam’s sister Zohara. Despite the age difference, Jallaluddin and Kalam became good friends. Every evening they went for long walk. They usually talked about spiritual matters. They would circle the shiva temple with the same reverence as a pilgrim from a distant place.

     Jallaluddin seemed to be able to communicate directly with God, as like partner working together. He had the sense of respect for an unknown and unseen force. He was the only person on the island who could write letters in English. He talked to Kalam about – scientific discoveries, contemporary writing and literature, even about medical science and its greatness. He helped Kalam to look beyond the limited horizons of his life. Jallaluddin was the major influe nce on Kalam’s life at that stage.

STR Manickam and Kalam

    STR Manickam was a militant nationalist. He was against to the Gandhian way of non-violence. He had a huge personal library. Kalam visited STR’s home to borrow books. STR always encouraged Kalam to read more books.

Samsuddhin and Kalam

      Samsuddhin, Kalam’s cousin was one of the persons who helped to shape Kalam’s boyhood. Samsuddhin was the only distributor for newspapers in Rameswaram. The morning train to Pamban brought in the Tamil newspapers. Dinamani was the most popular newspaper in those days. Kalam was not able to read the printed matters but he was able to understand the content with simply looking at the pictures in the papers before Samsuddhin delivered them. Because of the World War the train halt at Rameswaram station was suspended. The newspaper bundles were tossed out of the moving train. Samsuddhin chose Kalam to help him move the bundles.

Kalam’s first earnings

     Kalam was eight years old when World War II started in 1939. The war influenced Kalam indirectly. It provided Kalam with his first earnings. For some reason, there was a sudden demand for tamarind seeds during the war. Kakam would collect the seeds and sell them to a provision store near his house. A day’s collection would fetch him the princely amount of one anna.

Conclusion

     From this part of his autobiography, we could understand Kalam’s boyhood days and how he was encouraged in his studies and religious matters by his relatives and friends. Kalam acknowledges them in his autobiography with sincere gratitude.