In 1948, after the end of World War II, the State of Israel was established.
Hundreds of thousands of Jews, who had been liberated from Nazi concentration camps, finally had a place to live.
After the death of Israel's first president, Einstein was nominated as Israel's presidential candidate.
However, Einstein cruelly refused on the grounds of "incompetence".
After all, the president and the scientist are two identities that are incompatible.
However, in the history of India, there is indeed such a legendary figure who is both a scientist and a president , Abdul Karam.
Abdul Karam
As a scientist, Karam's contribution to science is not the kind of petty fuss.
In the field of defence research in India, his contributions are almost unparalleled, and he has received countless honors and awards in his lifetime.
He built rockets and conducted nuclear tests, and even India's first missile was launched under his leadership.
Therefore, he is also revered as the "father of Indian missiles" and is revered by all people!
However, it is completely unexpected that after the end of his scientific career, Karam was actually pushed to the position of president and began a political career.
He sat on the throne of the 12th president with an overwhelming advantage, and both academic and political circles were shocked by this half-way "Cheng Biting Gold".
His extraordinary life can't help but make people sigh, it is really a legend in the nation.
Karam
Abdul Karam was born in 1931 on rameswaran island in southern India.
His ancestors were merchants, and his family had many wooden boats that traveled between the mainland and the islands, and lived a wealthy life by transporting goods and carrying passengers.
In his father's generation, however, a bridge was erected between the mainland and the islands.
With the completion of the bridge, the Karam family's freight business also declared bankruptcy.
Karam with family
As a result, Kalam spent almost all of his childhood in poverty.
In order to help his family and collect his own tuition, he spent a long time selling newspapers along the street.
And the expensive tuition fees for Karam's college were barely made up by her sister selling her jewelry.
Karam of childhood
From an early age, Karam loved to read, and everything with "words" had to be read repeatedly.
When he was a child, his neighbor opened a small library, and he used to sleep and forget to eat, soaking there all day and refusing to come out.
Growing up, his home was still full of books.
Therefore, his literary attainments are also very deep, and he has written many popular poems.
Dream is not that which you see while sleeping.
It is something that does not let you sleep!
In middle school, he got up at five o'clock in the morning and studied until the evening to sell newspapers on the street.
It was The Second World War, and he read a lot about the front lines of the war in the newspapers.
Seeing heroic fighters on the battlefield, Karam often fantasized that he would one day be able to fly in the sky on a fighter jet.
After graduating from high school in 1950, Kalam was admitted to St. Joseph's College with a Bachelor of Science degree, becoming the first college student in his family.
After graduating in 1954, he came to the Madras Polytechnic Institute to continue his studies in aerospace engineering.
After receiving his Ph.D. in aerospace engineering, Kalami worked as an engineering assistant at Hindustan Airlines.
There, he learned with great interest the repair techniques of aircraft engines.
Two years later, Kalam also designed a helicopter for the Indian Army.
However, with the completion of this plane, his dream of flying as a teenager also became exciting.
To this end, he also went out of his way to take the Indian Air Force selection exam.
Unfortunately, the examiner did not examine his knowledge of the profession, but asked some personal questions.
This left his strengths underutilized, and he was selected by one place in the Air Force.
Although he did not become an air force, he still had a different kind of affection for fighters.
The elderly Karam tried to fly a fifth-generation fighter jet in Moscow.
However, it may be a good thing not to be selected for the Air Force, because Kalam's subsequent achievements are much greater than this.
And his original dream was indeed realized, but in a different way.
Young Karam (front row, second from right) poses with ISRO colleagues
In 1963, because of his outstanding performance, he and 23 other carefully selected young engineers came to the newly established "Indian Space Research Organization ISRO" (then called the Indian Space Research Council) to engage in missile research.
In the decades since, Karam has forged an indissoluble bond with missiles.
Karam (second from left) talking to another PhD
At that time, India had just been out of British colonial rule for just over a decade, and the military conflict with Pakistan was continuous, and the strengthening of national defense became an urgent problem.
The idea that "only by being strong can we be respected" is also deeply rooted in Karam's heart.
Young Karam is assembling a model of a rocket.
At the Indian Space Research Organisation, he became the project leader and lead designer of India's first satellite launch vehicle (SLV3).
In 1980, the SLV3 launch vehicle successfully launched a Rossini test satellite into the expected orbit.
This also makes India the seventh country in the world to launch satellites independently.
The SLV3 satellite launch vehicle lifts off
Although the SLV3 satellite launch vehicle is the most rudimentary launch vehicle, it is undoubtedly the first milestone in India's space industry for India, which is poor in launch vehicle technology.
In this regard, the "father of modern rockets" von Braun also said: "If you want to do anything in the field of rockets, you have to do it independently, and SLV-3 is a rocket designed by India." ”
Photos of the scene of The Launch of the SLV3 launch vehicle by Kalam
With the success of this SLV3 launch, Kalam also truly feels the gap between India's defense and the world powers.
So, since the 1970s, Karam has been proposing to India's Federal Cabinet to seek opportunities for ballistic missile development from SLV3 technology.
He pointed out that in order for national defense to catch up with all countries, it is necessary to develop multiple missiles at the same time, rather than doing one and then doing another.
In 1980, Kalam gave a speech
Due to the shortage of defense funds, the simultaneous development of multiple missiles did not seem to be in line with the Indian national conditions at that time.
But in 1982, the ambitious "India Missile Integrated Development Program" began.
Kalam was also appointed CEO of India's Integrated Missile Development Programme.
He will lead the research work of the surface-to-ground "Agni" medium- and long-range missiles, the surface-to-air "Blue Sky" missile and the anti-tank "Poisonous Tongue" missile.
After the first successful launch of the Agni missile, Kalam was held aloft by his colleagues
Under The leadership of Kalam, the Indian people are proud of the ignition of missiles.
Since then, missile development has become the biggest highlight in India's defense field, and it has also made India the world's strongest missile
One of the countries.
Because of his outstanding performance in the field of missile development, Kalam has also won the resounding title of "father of Indian missiles".
Karam (second from left) with colleagues
From 1992 to 2000, Kalam began serving as chief scientific adviser to India's defence department.
He continued his scientific work while also working on political and technical communication.
In 1997, the Indian government awarded Karam, India's highest civilian award, to Kalam in recognition of his outstanding contributions to defence research, and he was the only scientist to receive the award.
Kalam at the site of a nuclear test in India
In 1998, at the age of 67, Kalam also successfully presided over India's Bokran nuclear test, making him once again a nationally acclaimed people's hero.
In the same year, he was awarded India's highest honor, the Indian Diamond Medal.
Since 2001, Kalam, who is in his seventies, has gradually left the front line of scientific research.
But he did not stop because of this, but instead set himself a plan "India Vision 2020" - to make India a world power through universal science and technology education.
His goal is to reach out to 100,000 Indian youths and encourage them to pursue careers in technology.
In just 6 months, he has delivered more than 50 lectures to an audience of 45,000 people.
Of course, after retirement, Kalam began to travel from place to place to speak, which is really not surprising at all.
Because he is a workaholic who is completely dedicated to his career, he can't sit idle at all.
He didn't have any emotional stories, no family, and never married in his life.
He himself joked that he was "married to missiles."
Ram was on a submarine
He said that if he got married, he would not be able to do even half of his current work.
He worked seven days a week for decades and took only two days off in his life: once at his father's funeral in 1972 and once at his mother's funeral in 1976.
He said, "You may not believe it, but it's all true." ”
Kalam received the commendation
Kalam devoted his life to India's national defense and never wanted to get involved in politics.
However, when he was preparing to live a more relaxed life, he was re-propelled to the stage of history by a pair of big hands.
This is also a new turning point in Karam's life path.
Due to the constant tension in India-Pakistan relations and the intensification of ethnic conflicts within the country, the Indian government has taken a fancy to this scientist with Muslim ancestry and a high reputation in the hearts of the people.
The State hoped that he would use his extensive influence to assist the Government in dealing with the current adverse situation.
On July 18, 2002, the 71-year-old Kalam, with an overwhelming vote of 90 percent, defeated another candidate and was elected the 12th president of India.
From then on, the inexperienced professional scientist began his political career.
The president-elect was overwhelmed by him, saying, "I was very touched, everyone was waiting for me to say something, but I kept thinking, what is it good to say to the people?" ”
Kalam in the president's office
India practices a parliamentary cabinet system, and political power is actually in the hands of the cabinet headed by the prime minister, who is more of a symbol of national identity.
In public, the chances of a president appearing are much lower than those of a prime minister, but Kalam breaks that convention.
Kalam is giving a speech to teenagers
In order to promote the concept of "India Vision 2020", a scientific rejuvenation of the country, he has traveled almost all over India, even in remote mountainous areas.
Kalam, who is not good at politics, has always won the wide support of the people with a pro-people style, and has been called "the president of the people"
Kalam has always been accustomed to a casual life, and a flowing mid-length curly hair has become a symbol of Kalam
Since he is a professional scientist, Kalam has always emphasized that technology and education are the most fundamental foundations for India to gain a foothold in the world.
He believes that the lack of resources is not the fundamental problem of India, and that people's backward ideas are the key factor hindering development.
A film based on Kalam, My Name is Kalam Aka Poor Million President.
Kalam has also always disliked the idea of being president, preferring to be remembered as a "teacher."
In the poems he wrote, it can be reflected:
I am not the owner of the house
I may be a gardener
I want the buds of prosperity to bloom
Defend the fruit of mercy until it ripens
Dream of seeing my country prosper
There is no poverty, no strife
Karaman communicates with millions of fans on Facebook
In 2007, Kalam's five-year presidency ended.
After leaving office, Kalam still receives many emails from young people, mostly seeking advice, most of whom will be replied to.
In the days that followed, he continued to walk among major universities, encouraging young people to pursue their dreams bravely like himself through speeches.
Even the last moments of his life ended on the podium.
On July 27, 2015, Kalam died of a heart attack while giving an academic lecture at a university in northeastern India.
India performed the highest funeral ceremony for Kalam, the "State Funeral", and mourned the whole country for seven days.
His death has also been called "the greatest loss to the Indian scientific community".
"He inspired an entire generation of Indians," and that's exactly what happened.
He came from an ordinary background, and through his own struggle, he became a scientific hero and the president of the country.
This is the dream of countless Indians and the best symbol of India's charm today.
As a developing country as India, China also has similar destinies and feelings.
Perhaps from Karam's life, we can also see something different revelation.
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