Sonowal pays tribute to Dr. Kalam on birth anniversary
Synopsis
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal paid tribute to Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam on his birth anniversary, 15 October, honouring the former President's scientific contributions and enduring influence on India's youth.
Key Takeaways
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal paid 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 was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1997 .
He led key missile and space programmes at DRDO and ISRO , including development of the Agni and Prithvi missile series.
15 October is observed as World Students' Day in Kalam's honour, reflecting his lifelong commitment to youth and education.
Kalam passed away on 27 July 2015 while delivering a lecture at IIM Shillong.
Tributes to Kalam on his birth anniversary cut across party lines, making him one of India's most universally revered public figures.
Ninety-five years after the birth of the man who gave India its missile spine, the nation pauses to remember him. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday, 15 October 2026 paid tribute to former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, honouring the Bharat Ratna laureate on his birth anniversary with a post on X.
Sonowal wrote: 'His great scientific achievements strengthened the nation, and his life and thoughts continue to ignite millions of young minds.' The sentiment is one shared across the political spectrum every 15 October — a day that also marks World Students' Day, a designation that cuts straight to the heart of what Kalam stood for.
The scientist who became a president, then a symbol
Dr. Kalam served as India's 11th President from 2002 to 2007, but it was his decades as an aerospace engineer at DRDO and ISRO that forged his legacy. He was the driving force behind India's integrated guided missile development programme — the architecture behind the Agni and Prithvi missile series — and a key figure in the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear tests. The Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, was conferred on him in 1997, years before he ever entered Rashtrapati Bhavan.
What made Kalam singular was the second chapter: after the presidency, he returned to classrooms, not retirement. He spent his final years speaking directly to students, insisting that imagination and discipline together could rebuild a nation. He died on 27 July 2015, mid-lecture, at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong — a detail so perfectly in character it has itself become part of the legend.
A ritual of remembrance — and what it signals
Every 15 October, India's political, scientific, and educational establishments converge on Kalam's memory. Schools hold science days. Institutions run innovation challenges. Ministers post tributes. The ritual is genuine and cross-partisan — Kalam remains one of the very few figures whom governments of all colours claim without controversy.
For a senior BJP leader like Sonowal — himself a former Chief Minister of Kalam's birth-state region's neighbouring Assam — invoking Kalam's name on this day is both personal homage and a quiet reminder of the value India places on science-led national strength.
Kalam's ideas did not retire with him. They keep showing up wherever a young engineer picks up a problem the country hasn't solved yet.
Point of View
Invoking his memory aligns neatly with the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' narrative of indigenous defence and technology capability. Yet tributes pour in from all quarters, underscoring Kalam's rare status as a genuinely unifying national figure. The real policy question his anniversary raises each year is whether India's institutional investment in science education and youth innovation matches the reverence it publicly professes.
NationPress
15 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When is APJ Abdul Kalam's birth anniversary?
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 . His birth anniversary is observed annually on 15 October and is also celebrated as World Students' Day .
What is APJ Abdul Kalam famous for?
Dr. Kalam is celebrated as India's 'Missile Man' for leading the development of the Agni and Prithvi ballistic missile series at DRDO. He also contributed to India's space programme at ISRO, served as the 11th President of India (2002-2007) , and was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1997 .
Why is 15 October called World Students' Day?
World Students' Day is observed on 15 October in honour of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam's birthday, recognising his lifelong dedication to youth empowerment and education. The United Nations recognised this day following his passing in 2015.
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 .
Who is Sarbananda Sonowal?
Sarbananda Sonowal is the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in the Government of India and a senior BJP leader. He previously served as Chief Minister of Assam.
