A young school teacher from a rural area in Manipur by the name of Gin Gangte was at a podium to receive an award from the then President Abdul Kalam when the latter approached the young tribal school teacher from Manipur hills and asked what he could do for him. Gin Gangte’s instant reply was his wish for the President to visit his village Bunglon, a hamlet in Churachandpur district. Abdul Kalam promptly agreed to Gin Gangte’s request. The President kept his words. Thereafter, Bunglon village saw for the first time a black-topped road connecting the village from the highway. The only village high school is also equipped with computer sets and a library now, thanks to A P J Abdul Kalam’s concern for the rural children. As a mark of gratitude, the villagers of Bunglon keep aside a day to remember the visit of the great man to their village. The day has been christened as ‘Dr Kalam Day’ which is observed every year on October 16.Biographer Ronald W Clark in describing Albert Einstein said that the life of the noted physicist has a “dramatic quality that does not rest exclusively on his Theory of Relativity”. This description also squarely fits A P J Abdul Kalam’s story. Our own Missile Man’s popularity did not rest exclusively on his achievement in science neither did it rest solely because he was the President of India. He was a ‘People’s President’. He was a ‘People’s Scientist’. Kalam himself was a ‘Common Man’. He was extremely original too. His intricacies and other peculiarities made him stand out. These characters entwined in his personality gave a great effect and tremendous mass appeal.
Today, to have a leader ingrained with the elements of simplicity and originality is a rare commodity. It has been a long time now we don’t have a people’s leader—that leader who can be considered a symbol of security and peace.
