Explain about Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s early life and his contributions towards science.

EARLY LIFE:

• Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born to a Tamil Muslim family in Rameswaram on Pamban Island on 15 October 1931.

• He moved to Madras in 1955 to study aerospace engineering in Madras Institute of Technology.

CONTRIBUTIONS:

• Dr. Kalam made significant contribution as Project Director to develop India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III).

• Dr. Kalam was also behind the evolution of Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO's) launch vehicle programme.

• After working for two decades in ISRO he took up the responsibility of developing Indigenous Guided Missiles at Defence Research and Development Organization as the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

• Because of these contributions, he was also known as the "Missile man of India".