It was Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's birth anniversary on October 15, Sunday. On this occasion, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin unveiled the statue of the Missile Man of India at Anna University on Sunday. Additionally, he also paid floral tributes.
Taking this to X (formerly known as Twitter), the CM's Office tweeted, "Today on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, a newly established statue was inaugurated by the Department of Public Relations".
Earlier in the day, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) Chairman Dr S Somnath along with District Collector P Vishnushandran, Ramanathapuram Member of Parliament Navaskani and Dr Abdul Kalam's family paid their respects to the iconic figure in Rameswaram.
Additionally, Somnath also flagged off the Rameswaram Marathon on the special occasion. The marathon was held at Rameswaram at 6.00 am under the leadership of District Collector P Vishnushandran where a large number of youngsters participated in the event, as stated in a report by ANI.
Tributes pour in
President Droupadi Murmu also paid homage to former President Kalam on his birth anniversary at Rashtrapati Bhawan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid his tributes to Dr Kalam.
PM tweeted, "Heartfelt tribute to former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who was loved by the people for his humble behaviour and exceptional scientific talent, on his birth anniversary. His incomparable contribution to nation-building will always be remembered with reverence".
External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar also remembered the Missile Man of India on his birth anniversary. Sharing a picture from the past, Jaishankar wrote "Pay my tribute to Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam on his birth anniversary. His vision for the nation and dedication to realize it continues to inspire all Indians".
Missile Man
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, also known as the Missile Man of India, served as the 11th President of India from the year 2002 to 2007. He also served as an aerospace scientist and worked with India's two major research organisations: the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
Kalam breathed his last on July 27, 2015, while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong when he collapsed and died from a cardiac arrest, as stated in a report by ANI.
