Swiss declare Science Day in Kalam's honour!
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam better known as A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (15 October 1931 – 27 July 2015) was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. A career scientist turned statesman, Kalam was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, and studied physics and aerospace engineering. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator, mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and was intimately involved in India's civilian space programme and military missile development efforts.[1] 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, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.
Kalam was elected as the 11th President of India in 2002 with the support of both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the then-opposition Indian National Congress. 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 was a recipient of several prestigious awards, including the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.
GENEVA: Switzerland has declared May 26 as the Science Day in honour of visiting President APJ Abdul Kalam. This was announced by the Swiss government, following his arrivalt on a four-day state visit, considering his vast expertise in science and technology.
Switzerland considers the President as the father of India's missile programme. Kalam is the first Indian head of state visiting Switzerland after a gap of more than 30 years. Former President V V Giri's was the last high profile visit to the country. President A P J Abdul Kalam was in France for 45 minutes. Kalam first visited the CERN's facilities situated in Switzerland and then crossed the border post to see the laboratory in France, where Indian scientists are doing research in Large Hadron Collider (LHC). He spent nearly 45 minutes interacting with them and senior scientists of CERN there before proceeding for witnessing the signing of an agreement between the Department of Atomic Energy and the CERN.
SOURCE: THE TIMES OF INDIA
 was the 11th  President of Ind...){kind=link}
0 comments
Please share your thoughts