SHILLONG:
Former President APJ Abdul Kalam is no more, sources close to his family said.
Dr Kalam passed away here this evening in a hospital where he was admitted after he collapsed while giving a lecture at the IIM here.
The former President, who served in the country’s highest post at Rashtrapati Bhawan, would have turned 84 in October this year. He remained in the ICU of the hospital for about two hours before the end came.
Born on October 15, 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, had become the 11th President of India on July 25 in 2002.
His focus was on transforming India into a developed nation by 2020. Dr Kalam was one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honour of having received honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions.
He had been awarded the coveted civilian awards – Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna (1997). He was a recipient of several other awards and Fellow of many professional institutions.
Dr. Kalam has served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the rank of Cabinet Minister, from November 1999 to November 2001 and was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications.
Dr Kalam was also the Chairman, Ex-officio, of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C) and piloted India Millennium Mission 2020. (AGENCIES)
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