NEW DELHI, Aug 1:
A giant video screen displaying thoughts and images associated with former President APJ Abdul Kalam greets visitors at a new memorial here dedicated to the ‘Missile Man’ whose noble spirit seems to pervade the space.
‘Kalam Memorial’, situated on the rear side of the busy Delhi Haat at INA, is already getting a steady stream of visitors two days after it was inaugurated by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Here, young and the old alike can get a feel of the humble life he lived, earning him the sobriquet of ‘People’s President’.
The memorial fronted with an open courtyard has a running verandah around it, and metallic plaques bearing an image of Kalam and a timeline of his life journey adorn the walls, painted in vibrant red from the outside.
The museum, among its prized possessions, has the former President’s belongings which include his clothes, books, souvenirs and citations presented to him by various institutions and organisations.
It has huge panels on walls charting his life from Rameswaram, where he was born in 1931, to his ascension to the country’s top post. A special panel recalls his experience of interacting with his teacher and how the flight of birds proved to be one his inspirations for delving into rocket science.
A special video containing tributes of children for Kalam has also been mounted on a screen.
“I think it’s a good initiative and unlike many other memorials where it just sounds like a lip service, here you can actually feel his (Kalam’s) presence, his spirit, and people could do well to visit the place,” said Ramesh Tahiliani, an advertising professional, who visited the museum yesterday.
“The INA Delhi Haat is already cultural landmark and now this would be an added attraction,” he said.
Besides a bust of Kalam in the ‘His Passion for Music’ section, a special life-sized sculpture of the ‘Missile Man’ surrounded by children has been installed at the focal point of the memorial.
Neel Indriya Das who made the fibre bust said, “I never got a chance to meet him in person, but I feel privileged to have made this bust. It is my tribute to him.”
The memorial also houses paintings on Kalam, from oil paintings to sketches and text art, all contributed by several youngsters.
A souvenir shop has also been put up selling coffee mugs, t-shirts, plaques and other merchandises celebrating the legacy of Kalam, who endeared himself to one and all.
Rare black and white images of his ancestral home and his meeting with legendary Vikram Sarabhai find a place at the memorial.
One of the panels even carries his famous remark asking people to continue working on his day of death and not declare a holiday, as a true tribute. Kalam had passed away on July 27 last year following a cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture at IIM-Shillong.
An online petition started by senior journalist R Bhagwan Singh played a pivotal role in the formation of the memorial.
“This memorial will inspire millions and the next generation. He was a President of the masses. A few months ago, I came to know that the Centre is not building the memorial, then the Delhi Government decided to build it.
“However, there was an apprehension regarding what form and shape it would take. We will make it bigger. We are planning to convert it into a research centre,” Kejriwal said while inaugurating it on July 30.
The petition of Singh, that was hosted by the portal change.Org, had garnered around 33,000 signatures. It was launched on October 27, after Kalam’s 10 Rajaji Marg residence was alloted to Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma.
In April, Delhi Culture Minister Kapil Mishra had visited Rameswaram to bring back his belongings to the city, which were sent there by the Centre after his death.
The memorial has personal belongings of Kalam contributed by his family and close friends, which also includes his awards, hand-written notes, utensils, shoes, pens and bags.
The memorial has been opened to the people without any fee. (PTI)
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