Indians reacted with shock and
sadness on learning that former President APJ Abdul Kalam had passed
away while giving a speech at IIM-Shillong. Bharat Ratna, President,
scientist and author, Kalam had taken on many roles during his lifetime
and everyone had something that they remembered fondly about him.
But
even as Twitter and Facebook was flooded with quotes and other
memories, an innocuous post by Srijan Pal Singh was perhaps the most
insightful into the last days of the former president. Singh, an adviser
to Kalam, was on the stage with him in Shillong when he collapsed and
was taken to hospital. In a touching post, he documented his memories
and interactions with Kalam over the past few weeks. Here are the
highlights
What Kalam spoke about on the way to Shillong
Singh
wrote of what Kalam spoke of during his trip to Shillong and not
surprisingly it was all about national issues. Singh's post says that
Kalam was very worried about the loss of life in the terror strike in
Gurdaspur and said "it seems the man made forces are as big a threat to
the livability of earth as pollution". The former president was also of
the view that mankind may have to leave earth in 30 years and advised
Singh that the future generation needed to take better care of it.
He was also worried about Parliament's functioning for the last few days.
"I
have seen two different governments in my tenure. I have seen more
after that. This disruption just keeps happening. It is not right. I
really need to find out a way to ensure that the parliament works on
developmental politics," Kalam had said earlier, according to Singh.
In
what some would say was a typical Kalam-like plan, the former scientist
said he would like to give a surprise assignment for the students of
IIM-Shillong at the end of his speech. Kalam said he would ask them for
innovative ways to make Parliament more productive.
"Then,
after a while he returned on it. 'But how can ask them to give
solutions if I don't have any Even on his last trip, Kalam showed why he was a beloved president.
"We
were in a convoy of 6-7 cars. Dr. Kalam and I were in the second car.
Ahead us was an open gypsy with three soldiers in it. Two of them were
sitting on either side and one lean guy was standing atop, holding his
gun. One hour into the road journey, Dr. Kalam said, 'Why is he
standing? He will get tired. This is like punishment. Can you ask a
wireless message to (be) given that he may sit?'" Singh wrote.
Singh
said he tried to convince Kalam that the guard had probably been
instructed to stand for better security but the former president
wouldn't relent. They tried to signal him to sit down and even through
radio message but they were unsuccessful.
"Finally,
realizing there is little we can do - he told me, 'I want to meet him
and thank him'. Later, when we landed in IIM Shillong, I went inquiring
through security people and got hold of the standing guy. I took him
inside and Dr. Kalam greeted him. He shook his hand, said thank you
buddy. 'Are you tired? Would you like something to eat? I am sorry you
had to stand so long because of me'. The young lean guard, draped in
black cloth, was surprised at the treatment. He lost words, just said,
'Sir, aapke liye to 6 ghante bhi khade rahenge'(for you I would stand even for six hours)," Singh noted.myself'." the former president noted,
according to Singh.
The last moments
Singh said that Kalam was characteristically enthusiastic about the lecture and never wanted to keep students waiting.
"I
quickly set up his mike, briefed on final lecture and took position on
the computers. As I pinned his mike, he smiled and said, 'Funny guy! Are
you doing well?'
"'Funny
guy', when said by Kalam could mean a variety of things, depending on
the tone and your own assessment. It could mean, you have done well, you
have messed up something, you should listen to him or just that you
have been plain naïve or he was just being jovial. Over six years I had
learnt to interpret Funny Guy like the back of my palm. This time it was
the last case," he wrote.
"'Funny
guy! Are you doing well?' he said. I smiled back, 'Yes'. Those were the
last words he said. Two minutes into the speech, sitting behind him, I
heard a long pause after completing one sentence. I looked at him, he
fell down," Singh wrote.
Singh said that they picked up the former President and tried to revive him.
"His
hands clenched, curled onto my finger. There was stillness on his face
and those wise eyes were motionlessly radiating wisdom. He never said a
word. He did not show pain, only purpose was visible. In five minutes we
were in the nearest hospital. In another few minutes the they indicated
the missile man had flown away, forever. I touched his feet, one last
time," Singh wrote.
What Kalam wanted to be remembered for
Singh spoke about a discussion he had with Kalam some time ago about what they would want to be remembered for.
"'First
you tell me, what will you like to be remembered for? President,
Scientist, Writer, Missile man, India 2020, Target 3 billion.... What?' I
thought I had made the question easier by giving options, but he sprang
on me a surprise. 'Teacher'", he said.
Singh
said that Kalam while discussing his friends, the former president had
said that children should take care of their elders but it wasn't taking
place always.
'He paused
and said, 'Two things. Elders must also do. Never leave wealth at your
deathbed - that leaves a fighting family. Second, one is blessed is one
can die working, standing tall without any long drawn ailing. Goodbyes
should be short, really short'," he noted.
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