डॉ. ए. पी. जे. अब्दुल कलाम Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

The debates

How much of the Missile Man was science?

Shekhar Gupta wrote that he was not a scientist in the classical sense and had few peer-reviewed papers. He added that the bomb was fathered by two generations of atomic energy scientists. Shiv Visvanathan called his science “a middling achievement”. Wikipedia notes cost and time overruns in the missile programme. Pakistan’s A. Q. Khan called him “an ordinary scientist”.

The Week credits his real contribution as building teams. He recruited Sivathanu Pillai and R. Prahlada and backed them to deliver Akash and BrahMos. Sreeram Chaulia allows he may not have been the brightest scientist but calls him a “welder of people”. Visvanathan himself calls him “a master” at catalysing science.

ThePrint: Everything that Dr Kalam was not, by Shekhar Gupta (31 July 2015) · Open: Icon, idol, ascetic, by Shiv Visvanathan (July 2015) · Wikipedia: A. P. J. Abdul Kalam · The News Minute: A. Q. Khan on Kalam (29 July 2015) · The Week: How R. Prahlada and Sivathanu Pillai forged India’s missile muscle (12 July 2025) · Sreeram Chaulia: Review of Wings of Fire

The Pokhran-II yield

In August 2009 former defence scientist K. Santhanam said the thermonuclear yield was “much lower than what was claimed”. He urged India not to rush into the CTBT. He dismissed Kalam as a missile scientist who was not at the test. Visvanathan notes that Homi Sethna and P. K. Iyengar also raised doubts.

Kalam said the data showed the design yield had been achieved. R. Chidambaram said BARC put the yield at 50 kilotons plus or minus ten. He said critics had to bring scientific evidence. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected Santhanam’s claim and called the controversy needless.

Arms Control Today: Indian scientist triggers debate on testing (October 2009) · Open: Icon, idol, ascetic, by Shiv Visvanathan (July 2015) · Siasat: Pokhran-II was a successful operation, Kalam asserts (August 2009) · The Hindu via Siddharth Varadarajan: Fizzle claim refuted (28 August 2009) · Business Standard: Controversy over Pokhran-II needless, says PM (August 2009)

Bihar and the presidency

In May 2005 he signed the Bihar dissolution by fax from Moscow at 1:30 am. The Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional that October. He decided only one of 21 mercy petitions before him. Pratap Bhanu Mehta noted “occasional lapses of Constitutional judgment”.

V. Venkatesan argued he had little room to refuse once the Cabinet advised it. His press secretary says he regretted it and thought of resigning. He became the first President to return a bill when he sent back the office of profit bill. He opposed the death penalty and sent nearly 50 cases back for review.

The Quint: As President Kalam waded through controversies (28 July 2015) · Deccan Herald: Kalam wanted to quit after Bihar Assembly dissolution (2015) · LiveLaw: APJ Abdul Kalam, the constitutionalist (V. Venkatesan) · Wikipedia: Presidency of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam · Business Standard: Kalam sends back office of profit bill (31 May 2006) · Business Standard: Kalam clears office of profit bill (19 August 2006)

Vision 2020’s unmet targets

India 2020 suggested poverty could be fully eliminated by 2007–08. Quartz found India met none of the Planning Commission’s Vision 2020 targets. Female literacy was near 65 percent against a goal of 94. Infant mortality was 33 against 22.5. He later revised his own superpower date.

Krishan Chopra argues the book was an inspiring draft and not a manifesto. He says the shortfall was partly because “we did not take them seriously enough”. He holds that its core goals on health and poverty still guide policy today.

Quartz: India ushers in 2020 with unfulfilled superpower dreams (January 2020) · Scroll: A look back at India 2020, by Krishan Chopra (30 December 2020)

Kudankulam and the protesters

In November 2011 he toured the Kudankulam plant amid local protests. He assured residents: “There will be no radiation at all.” He called the agitation unnecessary. Jones Thomas of the Coastal Protection Front replied that protesters respected him but found him “very pro-nuclear”. Wikipedia notes many locals stayed unconvinced.

He said he came to study safety and not to mediate. He cited a low seismic zone and a site 13.5 metres above sea level. He pointed to automatic cooling after power loss and double-wall protection. He argued the plant was needed for Tamil Nadu’s growth.

The Tribune / PTI: Kalam on Kudankulam (7 November 2011) · UCA News: Protesters dismiss nuclear assurances (7 November 2011) · Wikipedia: A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Overview · Life · Ideas · Books · Videos · Debates · People I learn from