11th president of India and Bharat Ratna Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam passed away on Monday after collapsing during a lecture in IIM Shillong.
Kalam, 83, who reached Shillong via Guwahati morning 27th July 2015, collapsed during a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management-Shillong (IIM-S) around 6:30 pm IST. The cause of death was cardiac arrest.
“The body of the former president will be flown to New Delhi via Guwahati Tuesday morning,” Warjri said.
“The body of the former president will be flown to New Delhi via Guwahati Tuesday morning,” Warjri said.
IIM-S officials said Kalam, who had tweeted in the morning about the function, showed no signs of illness after he reached the Meghalaya capital. “We had a packed house for the lecture on Liveable Planet Earth,” an official said.
Dr A P J Abdul Kalam served as president for five years from 2002, enjoying the support of both the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress.
Kalam was closely involved in the country's civilian space programme and military missile development efforts, earning him the sobriquet 'India's Missile Man'. He worked as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) before he became president.
He also played a pivotal technical and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, shortly after the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government came to power.
After his term, he returned to a life of education, writing, and public service. He received several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.
The Centre has declared a national mourning of seven days.
"Dr. Kalam was a man of impeccable character, indomitable spirit, profound knowledge and firm conviction. His death is an irreparable loss to this nation. He has left a big void hard to fill," said home minister Rajnath Singh.
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in a poor Tamil Muslim family in Rameswaram. But he overcame all odds to study physics and aerospace engineering and thus became legend in the hearts of everyone.
Even though he passed away bur will always be remembered for he was 'The legend'. The Wings of Fire will continue to burn in our hearts that was lit by this 'Missile Man of India'.
Enjoy reading and be open to the things that world has to offer.
RIP.....KALAM...GREAT MAN
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