CM Bhagwant Mann pays tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam on birth anniversary
Synopsis
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann paid homage to former President and Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam on his birth anniversary, crediting the 'Missile Man of India' with making the country self-reliant in defence and space exploration.
Key Takeaways
CM Bhagwant Mann posted a tribute to Dr.
APJ Abdul Kalam on his birth anniversary, 15 October 2026 .
Kalam served as India's 11th President from 2002 to 2007 and received the Bharat Ratna in 1997 .
He is credited with leading the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme , producing the Agni and Prithvi missile series.
Mann's tribute highlighted Kalam's role in making India 'self-reliant and strong' in defence and space exploration .
Annual commemorations on 15 October — his birth anniversary — are observed across India honouring scientists and students.
On the birth anniversary of one of India's most beloved scientist-statesmen, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann offered a heartfelt tribute to Bharat Ratna Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on Thursday, 15 October 2026, honouring the legacy of the man who gave India both its missile shield and its space ambitions.
Posting in Punjabi on X, CM Mann wrote: 'ਕੋਟਿ-ਕੋਟਿ ਪ੍ਰਣਾਮ' — 'a million salutations' — to the former President, describing him as a 'great scientist' and the 'Missile Man of India.' Mann credited Kalam's contributions with making the country 'self-reliant and immensely strong in defence and space exploration.'The man behind the missile — and the dream
Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam served as India's 11th President from 2002 to 2007, but it was his decades as a scientist that cemented his place in national memory. He was the architect of India's indigenous ballistic missile programme — the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) — which produced the Agni and Prithvi missile series, and played a central role in the development of the SLV-3 satellite launch vehicle. In 1997, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.A tribute that crosses every party line
Kalam's birth anniversary on 15 October has become one of the few occasions in India's fractious political calendar where tributes flow freely across ideological divides. Leaders from every major party invoke his name as shorthand for scientific temperament, national self-reliance, and the power of a child born in modest circumstances to reshape a country's strategic future. Mann's tribute fits squarely within that tradition — but his specific framing around 'aatm-nirbharta' (self-reliance) in defence and space carries particular resonance at a moment when India's domestic defence manufacturing and its space programme have both seen landmark strides. Kalam passed away on 27 July 2015 while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong, but his influence endures most visibly in classrooms and laboratories — he remains the scientist-president students draw on posters and the dreamer whose books still top school reading lists.Each year, commemorations on his birthday honour students and scientists — a fitting ritual for a man who insisted, until his last breath, that India's greatest asset was its young minds.
Point of View
Invoking Kalam's legacy of self-reliance in defence and space aligns neatly with a broader governance narrative centred on indigenous capability and youth empowerment. The annual ritual of Kalam tributes also reflects how India's political class continues to frame technological ambition — from missiles to moon missions — through the prism of a single life story, using it to lend moral authority to present-day policy goals.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 15 October celebrated as APJ Abdul Kalam's birth anniversary?
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. The day is observed annually across India with tributes from political leaders, scientists, and students honouring his contributions to science and the nation.
Why is APJ Abdul Kalam called the Missile Man of India?
Dr. Kalam earned the title 'Missile Man of India' for leading the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) , which developed India's Agni and Prithvi ballistic missiles and laid the foundation for the country's strategic defence capabilities.
What Bharat Ratna did APJ Abdul Kalam receive?
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was awarded the Bharat Ratna , India's highest civilian honour, in 1997 , in recognition of his exceptional contributions to science, defence technology, and national development.
When did Bhagwant Mann pay tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam?
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann posted a tribute on 15 October 2026 , Kalam's birth anniversary, on X, offering 'a million salutations' and crediting Kalam's work with making India self-reliant in defence and space.
When did APJ Abdul Kalam pass away?
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam passed away on 27 July 2015 while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong . He was 83 years old .
