Question

Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?

Answer 1

Hint: Abdul Kalam’s father owned a ferry to transport people between Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi. Abdul Kalam completed his education at Schwartz Higher Secondary School in Ramanathapuram.

Complete answer:
Abdul Kalam born on 15th October 1931, belonged to a Tamil Muslim family at Rameswaram (a pilgrimage center) on Pambam Island, which is present in the State of Tamil Nadu. He was the youngest of five siblings. His father was an imam at a local mosque and also owned a ferry that transported pilgrims from Dhanushkodi to Rameswaram.

His ancestors were wealthy traders who owned many properties and land. They had a business of trading groceries back and forth between the mainland and Pamban Island. Sometimes their trade also extended to Sri Lanka. Some family members had a very busy ferrying job for pilgrims, including Abdul Kalam’s father.

Then in 1914, the Pamban bridge was constructed which increased the ease of transport of people and goods from Pambam to the mainland. This drastically affected their family business and they lost their homes and properties over time. During Abdul Kalam’s childhood, their family had become so poor that he had to supplement the family’s income by selling newspapers.

With a strong desire to better his family’s condition and to complete his education, Abdul Kalam wanted to leave Rameswaram. He did leave Rameswaram and went to Schwartz Higher Secondary School to complete his schooling.

Note:
i) Abdul Kalam was a student with average grades but he was a bright, extraordinary and a student who always wanted to learn more.
ii) He graduated in physics from St. Joseph’s College in Tiruchirapalli and then went to Madras to study aerospace engineering.
iii) Today, we remember him as one of the finest minds, a great scientist and the most lovable former President of our country.