My Childhood Summary: Recalling Childhood Memories

English

Summary

My Childhood Summary

Reviewed by:

Aiswarya Ittianath

About the Story

The plot of My Childhood Class 9 summarises the famous biography “Wings Of Fire” of the renowned Indian figure Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. My childhood story starts with a few instances describing Kalam’s childhood. He had a long and tough journey till he became a famous scientist and consequently the “Missile Man Of India”. The way Kalam has been brought up in a very simple family with high values. Kalam talks about his family, siblings, and friends, who played an important role in reshaping his life and helping him become who he wanted to be.

Summary of the Story

My Childhood summary revolves around APJ Kalam, who was born into a middle-class Muslim family. Kalam had three brothers and one sister whom he shared and enjoyed his childhood with. His parents were kind-hearted and simple people with great moral values. Kalam spent his entire childhood and grew up living in his ancestral house.

The father of APJ Abdul Kalam was a very hard working and simple person. His entire focus and priorities were to fulfil the necessities of his family and provide them with a decent life. Kalam’s parents were not educated and consequently not rich, but they had a heart of gold and high values of self-discipline and honesty. They always urged their children to follow their dreams and never forced their own decisions on them.

Despite being a part of a Muslim Family, Kalam’s family strongly believed and practised secularism. They believed in the equality of all religions and never belittle anyone in any regard as they were strictly against social inequality. The family happily enjoyed Hindu festivities and rituals. Also, as a child Kalam heard a lot of stories of the Prophet as well as Ramayana from his grandmother and mother which is sweet and clear evidence of the fact that the family had an open heart and mind regarding the nature of mankind.

Childhood is incomplete without friends. This held in the case of Kalam too. Kalam had three close friends while growing up who had a great influence and positive

impact in his life. They always supported and motivated each other to be better every day. All these friends were from different cultural backgrounds but blended well with each other. There was no trace of racism or discrimination, but just love and brotherhood among them. While growing up, a lot of layers get added on in everyone’s life, which includes layers of responsibilities, decisions etc.

The story prominently highlights an instance from Kalam’s childhood when he was in his 5th grade. Kalam generally had a habit of wearing a cap which gave him a distinct Muslim look. Also, he liked to sit on the same bench with one of his classmates named Ramanandha, whose father was a Hindu Priest. As children, they both always felt happy sitting next to each other. However, there was a new teacher who showed signs of narrow-mindedness and therefore couldn’t tolerate this beautiful bond. He made a deliberate attempt to shift Kalam to the backbench so that the two friends could no longer sit together. This instance broke the hearts of Kalam and his friend Ramanandha.

Both the children informed their parents about the sad incident to which Ramanandha’s father came to meet their teacher and asked them to stop spreading communal hatred and social inequality. He even demanded an apology and warned in case if the teacher refuses, then he must quit. In response to this, the teacher quickly made an apology and reformed his behaviour.

There was another such instance from Kalam’s childhood which never fails to touch the hearts of the people. There was an occasion where Abdul was invited by his Science teacher and invited him to come home for dinner. The wife of the Science teacher was sceptical about her beliefs in religious segregation and was, therefore, reluctant to serve him food. The Science teacher loved Kalam immensely and had no such beliefs regarding the difference in religions. Therefore, he decided to serve him dinner and sat beside him to eat his meal. His wife observed all this from standing behind the door. This melted her heart a little and gradually changed her. Hence, when Kalam was invited the second time, the wife of the Science teacher served him with the meal but from the kitchen. The Science teacher was happy that his wife’s thought process changed at least bit by bit.

By the time the Second World War ended, Kalam had grown up, and thus his upbringing came to an end. He went out for his further studies at Ramanathapuram upon receiving permission from his parents. Although he was one of the most lovable children of the family, at some point in life, his parents had to be strong to let him go and live his dreams.
Kalam's life was shaped by friendship as he was growing up in Rameswaram. Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan, all from traditional Hindu Brahmin households, were his closest pals, and they never discriminated against each other because of their religion or caste. He and his pals pursued different career paths as they grew older. Ramanathan Sastry became a priest at the Rameswaram temple; Aravindan started a company arranging transportation for pilgrims, and Sivaprakasan started a catering business for the Southern Railways.

The author described his father as smart and generous. When he was able to assist others, he felt fulfilled. He lacked both formal education and wealth. He was a man who exuded confidence and wisdom. He shied away from unnecessary comforts and luxury.
His mother was a noblewoman with a good heart. She used to be able to feed a huge group of people. She possessed all of the characteristics of a traditional Indian mother.
I was born into a Tamil family from the middle class. I was a short lad with unremarkable features, born to tall and attractive parents. I majored in physics and aeronautical engineering and went on to work as a scientist.

Description of Characters by the Author

Prof. Abdul Kalam's childhood and early years	Prof. Abdul Kalam's childhood is described in this lesson. He is regarded as one of the world's most brilliant scientists. Jainulabdeen was his father's name. Ashiamma was his mother's name. In Rameswaram, he was born in 1931. His parents were neither wealthy nor well-educated. They were, nevertheless, quite generous and courteous. Every day, many outsiders ate with the family.
His house and family	Abdul Kalam had three brothers and one sister. They lived in a house that belonged to their ancestors. It was a substantial pucca house. It was on the Mosque Street of Rameswaram.
His first monetary gain	When World War II broke out in 1939, Abdul Kalam was only eight years old. Tamarind seeds were in high demand all of a sudden. Abdul Kalam would gather and sell these seeds in the market. Samsuddin, his cousin, was a newspaper distributor. Abdul Kalam was brought in to assist him. Abdul earned his first wages in this manner.
The casteist behaviour of a new instructor	His parents, friends and instructors heavily impacted Abdul Kalam. At Rameswaram Elementary School, he was in the fifth grade. The class welcomed a new teacher. In the front row, Abdul was seated with his close buddy Ramanadha Sastry. The new teacher couldn't stand the sight of a Hindu priest's son sitting next to a Muslim student. He moved Abdul to the last seat on the rear bench.
The impact of the teacher's actions	He, like Ramanadha Sastry, was depressed. As he approached the last row, Abdul spotted Sastry crying. This incident left an indelible impression on Abdul. Later, Ramanadha Sastry's father's teacher summoned the teacher and requested him not to spread the poison of social isolation among the youngsters. The teacher felt bad about it as well.
His science teacher's anti-casteist action	Sivasubramania Iyer, Abdul's science teacher, was a high-caste Brahmin. His wife was a staunch believer in conservatism. However, he tried his hardest to break through societal barriers. Once, he invited Abdul for lunch at his house. In her kitchen, his wife refused to serve Abdul. Then Sivasubramania served Abdul on his own. He took a seat next to him and began eating his lunch. Abdul was invited back the next weekend by the teacher. This time, Abdul was taken inside the kitchen and served food by his wife.
Abdul's human value heritage	Abdul learned honesty and self-discipline from his father. He requested permission from his father to study at Ramanathapuram. His father permitted him to do so. He comforted his wife, who had become upset.
Abdul Kalam's father's words of comfort to Kalam's mother	The Persian philosopher Khalil Gibran was mentioned by Abdul Kalam's father. He informed her that the children she was caring for were not hers. They were the offspring of life's need for itself. They didn't come from her; they came through her. She might express her love for them. Their thoughts, on the other hand, were their own.

Conclusion

Class 9 English, My Childhood focuses on Kalam's determination and how his life changed while he undergoes different encounters in his childhood. A relationship between mentor and disciple is also portrayed beautifully in My Childhood by APJ Abdul Kalam.

FAQs on My Childhood Summary: Recalling Childhood Memories

1. Did Abdul's friends treat him differently because of religion?

Never! His closest friends Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan belonged to the traditional Hindu Brahmin households. But they never discriminated against each other because of their religion or caste.

2. What did Kalam's father quote to his wife to comfort her?

Abdul Kalam's father quoted the Persian philosopher Khalil Gibran. He comforted her by saying that the children she was caring for were not hers. They were the offspring of life's need for itself. They didn't come from her; they came through her. She might express her love for them. Their thoughts, on the other hand, were their own.

3. What Were Some Values Which Were Thoroughly Practised in Kalam’s House?

Kalam’s parents were not educated but had high moral values and qualities of self-discipline and honesty. Also, his entire family believed in secularism and was strictly against social inequality or racism. Thus, the entire chapter focuses on secularism and victory over racism through the values that APJ Abdul Kalam learned in his childhood. It highlights some instances from his childhood that depicts the special bond Kalam shared with his parents, friends, and teachers.

4. What Kind of Person was Kalam’s Father?

Kalam’s father was a very simple man with high values. He prioritized the necessities of his family over anything else. He loved his children immensely and never forced his decisions for their future. He was a great man who instilled perfect values in Kalam and made him great.