A little up the hill from Rishikesh, sadhus at the Sivananda ashram will tell you a true story about APJ Abdul Kalam that not many have heard.
After Kalam failed the interview for Air Force pilot in Dehradun -- he was 9th and the eight
others before him got selected -- in sheer despondence he took a bus to Rishikesh and
headed to the banks of the Ganga. That would go on to be one of the most defining
moments of Kalam's life. In his words, he “stood at the edge of a cliff with a lake below”.
This was 1957 and his childhood dream of flying a fighter plane had been shattered.
Then, as he brooded over what direction his life would take, Kalam met the man he would
often call the 'Guru of my life'.
Swami Sivananda walked towards the man who would go on to be one of India's most
popular presidents and questioned him about the source of his sorrow. Later, Kalam was
read lines from the Gita’s eleventh chapter. Following this, Sivananda gave Kalam the
mantra of his life — ‘Defeat the defeatist tendency’.
Describing the incident, Kalam wrote in his book, “When the student is ready, the teacher
will appear — How true! Here was the teacher to show the way to a student who had
nearly gone astray!”
Sivananda told Kalam: “Accept your destiny and go ahead with your life. You are not
destined to become an Air Force pilot. What you are destined to become is not revealed
now but it is predetermined. Forget this failure, as it was essential to lead you to your
destined path. Search, instead, for the true purpose of your existence. Become one with
yourself, my son! Surrender yourself to the wish of God.”
During a lesson on how birds fly in 1941, Kalam had decided to pursue aeronautical
science. Later, he completed his degree in aeronautical engineering from Madras Institute
of Technology (MIT) and joined Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL) in Bengaluru as a
trainee.
The former president writes in his book ‘Wings of Fire’ that he got two interview calls at this time: one from directorate of technical development and production (DTD & PAir) of the Ministry of Defence in Delhi and the other from Air Force recruitment authorities in Dehradun. He decided to appear in both. The first one in Delhi went well, following which he proceeded to Dehradun.
“I was excited but nervous, determined but anxious, confident but tense. I could finish ninth
in the batch of 25 examined to select eight officers for commissioning in the Air Force. I
was deeply disappointed. It took me some time to comprehend that the opportunity to join
the Air Force had just slipped through my fingers. I dragged myself out of the selection
board and stood at the edge of a cliff. There was a lake far below. I knew that the days
ahead would be difficult. There were questions to be answered and a plan of action to be
prepared. I trekked down to Rishikesh,” Kalam writes in his autobiography.
After Kalam returned to Delhi following his meeting with the guru, he was handed over an appointment letter and he joined DTD&P-Air as senior scientific assistant in 1958.
“If this was to be my destiny, I thought, let it be so. Finally, I was filled with mental peace.
No more did I feel any bitterness or resentment at my failure to enter the Air Force,” he
wrote.
Thus began the journey of the Missile man
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam lived the message of Swami Sivananda, which was, 'Be good, do good, serve, love, meditate and realize'.
Story was published in TOI.
others before him got selected -- in sheer despondence he took a bus to Rishikesh and
headed to the banks of the Ganga. That would go on to be one of the most defining
moments of Kalam's life. In his words, he “stood at the edge of a cliff with a lake below”.
This was 1957 and his childhood dream of flying a fighter plane had been shattered.
Then, as he brooded over what direction his life would take, Kalam met the man he would
often call the 'Guru of my life'.
Swami Sivananda walked towards the man who would go on to be one of India's most
popular presidents and questioned him about the source of his sorrow. Later, Kalam was
read lines from the Gita’s eleventh chapter. Following this, Sivananda gave Kalam the
mantra of his life — ‘Defeat the defeatist tendency’.
Describing the incident, Kalam wrote in his book, “When the student is ready, the teacher
will appear — How true! Here was the teacher to show the way to a student who had
nearly gone astray!”
Sivananda told Kalam: “Accept your destiny and go ahead with your life. You are not
destined to become an Air Force pilot. What you are destined to become is not revealed
now but it is predetermined. Forget this failure, as it was essential to lead you to your
destined path. Search, instead, for the true purpose of your existence. Become one with
yourself, my son! Surrender yourself to the wish of God.”
During a lesson on how birds fly in 1941, Kalam had decided to pursue aeronautical
science. Later, he completed his degree in aeronautical engineering from Madras Institute
of Technology (MIT) and joined Hindustan Aeronautics limited (HAL) in Bengaluru as a
trainee.
The former president writes in his book ‘Wings of Fire’ that he got two interview calls at this time: one from directorate of technical development and production (DTD & PAir) of the Ministry of Defence in Delhi and the other from Air Force recruitment authorities in Dehradun. He decided to appear in both. The first one in Delhi went well, following which he proceeded to Dehradun.
“I was excited but nervous, determined but anxious, confident but tense. I could finish ninth
in the batch of 25 examined to select eight officers for commissioning in the Air Force. I
was deeply disappointed. It took me some time to comprehend that the opportunity to join
the Air Force had just slipped through my fingers. I dragged myself out of the selection
board and stood at the edge of a cliff. There was a lake far below. I knew that the days
ahead would be difficult. There were questions to be answered and a plan of action to be
prepared. I trekked down to Rishikesh,” Kalam writes in his autobiography.
After Kalam returned to Delhi following his meeting with the guru, he was handed over an appointment letter and he joined DTD&P-Air as senior scientific assistant in 1958.
“If this was to be my destiny, I thought, let it be so. Finally, I was filled with mental peace.
No more did I feel any bitterness or resentment at my failure to enter the Air Force,” he
wrote.
Thus began the journey of the Missile man
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam lived the message of Swami Sivananda, which was, 'Be good, do good, serve, love, meditate and realize'.
Story was published in TOI.
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