This article is about the former President of India. For the Indian freedom fighter, see Abul Kalam Azad.

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam ( born 15 October 1931) is an Indian scientist who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007.

Kalam was born and raised in Rameswarama, Tamil Nadu and studied physics and aerospace engineering. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in the India's civilian space program and military missile development efforts. He thus came to be known as theMissile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology. He also played a pivotal organizational, technical and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.

In 2002, Kalam was elected the President of India in 2002 with the support of the both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the opposition Indian National Congress. After serving a term of 5 years, he returned to civilian life of education, writing, and public service. He has received several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor.

Kalam's Life Time Earnings

Some Common books by Dr. Kalam

1- wings of fire

2- 2020- A Vision for the New Millennium

3- Envisioning an Empowered Nation

4- Ignited Minds

5- My Journey

Personal Details

Born - Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam 15 October 1931 ,Rameswaram,Ramanathapuram District,Madras Presidency, British India

Died - 27 July 2015 (aged 83) Shillong, Meghalaya, India

11th President of India

In office

25 July 2002 – 25 July 2007

Prime Minister - Atal Bihari Vajpayee

Manmohan Singh

Vice President Krishan Kant

Bhairon Singh Shekhawat

Preceded by - K. R. Narayanan

Succeeded by - Pratibha Patil