Question

What characteristics did Abdul Kalam inherit from his parents?

Answer 1

Hint: The context of the above question is given in the chapter ‘My Childhood’ taken from the book ‘Wings of Fire’ written by Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam. He was the 11th president of India and his projects in space, defence and nuclear technology have led our country into the 21st century.

Complete answer:
Abdul Kalam belonged to a middle-class Tamil family residing in the island town of Rameswaram in the erstwhile Madras State. His father Jainulabdeen was not very wealthy nor had any significant formal education. His mother Ashiamma was a very kind and generous woman and also an ideal helpmate of his father. He had tall and handsome parents. His father would avoid unnecessary comforts and luxuries. Despite that, he gave Abdul Kalam and his siblings a materially and emotionally secured childhood. He was of liberal and progressive views.

Kalam says he inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father and faith in goodness and deep kindness from his mother. His mother would serve food to many outsiders on a daily basis.

His upbringing never made him feel like differentiating between people of different religions. His family would also help in religious events of Hindu people. His grandmother and mother would also tell bedtime stories from Ramayana as well as the life of the Prophet.

Note: A.P.J Abdul Kalam is also famously known as the “missile man of India”. The UN in 2015 declared his birth date i.e. 15 October as world student’s day. His technical support and knowledge made the Pokhran nuclear test 2, successful.