Late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Our founding Chancellor
- Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a career scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO).
- He was intimately involved in India's civilian space programme and military missile development efforts. He thus came to be known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology.
- He also played a pivotal organisational, technical, and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, in collaboration with Department of Atomic Energy, which made India a nuclear weapon State.
- Dr. Abdul Kalam served as a Chief Scientific Advisor to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Department of Defense Research & Development. He was the Chairman of Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC). He created Technology Vision 2020 documents. This gives a road map for transforming Infia from the present developing status to a developed nation
- Dr. Kalam was elected as the 11th President of India in 2002, and was the first scientist to head the world's largest democracy. Widely referred to as the People's President, he returned to his civilian life of education, writing and public service after a single term.
- He received many prestigious awards like Padma Bhushan in 1981, Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and Bharat Ratna in 1997 by the Government of India. He is a recipient of several other awards and Fellow of many professional institutions.
- Dr. Kalam was one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from 48 Universities and institutions from India and abroad.