Why was APJ Abdul Kalam known as the Missile Man ?

After the term of his presidency, he became busier as a visiting professor at various institutes of management and leadership including those located at Ahmadabad, Indore, and Shillong.

India owes its development as a nuclear nation to Kalam's organizational and technical support for Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, the first such tests after a gap of 24 years.

He is the only unmarried President of India so far.

Kalam’s visit to Switzerland is commemorated as Science Day in the country. This declaration in his honor was made by the Swiss government after the sad demise of this great personality.

Look at his positivity! In 2001, when he had boarded the helicopter from Ranchi, on the way to Bokaro, he was informed about some issues with the helicopter’s rotor.

At ISRO, He was one of the pioneers of India's first space launch-vehicle program.

Throughout his life, he led a simple life even after reaching to the highest post in the country. In fact, he is considered the symbol of simplicity in India. He came to the Rashtrapati Bhavan with a suitcase and left with the same.

Kalam wrote a great deal of poetry in Tamil, and was very fond of playing a musical instrument known as the Veena.

Though it was a death alarm for the cockpit crew, he composed everyone with his signature smile and advised the two pilots not to worry.

Kalam was recipient of Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan and Bharat Ratna.

He installed a Manipuri style hut at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during his tenure as the President of India from 2002 to 2007. He used to sit there in the mornings and evenings and fondly referred to it as- “Thinking Hut.” The hut was demolished after he left the President House to restore the original character of Edwin Lutyens.

Throughout his life, he supported the abolition of the death penalty saying that as President of India he felt pain in deciding mercy petitions of death row convicts.

A fun fact about APJ Abdul Kalam is that although he was a Muslim, he was also a strict vegetarian.

He was also a recipient of honorary doctorates from 40 universities.

He dedicated every single minute of his life serving the country which is justified by the fact that even few minuted before his demise on 27 July 2015, he was delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong.

Following his death, the Tamil Nadu state government announced that his birthday, 15 October, would be observed across the State as “Youth Renaissance Day” and also the state government further instituted “Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award.”

During his presidency, Kalam was so beloved that people requested that he take the office again after Pratibha Patil’s term as President. However, he politely refused.

A prolific writer, Kalam has authored around 15 books on various subjects ranging from nuclear physics to spiritual experiences.

He is the only unmarried President of India so far.

Kalam is the first unmarried president and scientist in India.

Throughout his life, he led a simple life even after reaching to the highest post in the country.

His autobiography Wings of Fire: An Autobiography , first published in English, has been translated into 13 languages including French and Chinese.

Kalam is among only three presidents of India who were conferred the Bharat Ratna before they were elected President.

Also, there are six additional biographies on his life and works.

In fact, he is considered the symbol of simplicity in India. He came to the Rashtrapati Bhavan with a suitcase and left with the same.