Missile Man inspired Moon, Mars mission

Chennai:

Former President A P J Abdul Kalam, popularly known as ‘Missile Man’,
was also one of the core member of the team that was instrumental in
1998 Pokharan II tests, according to Former chairman of Atomic Energy
Commission M R Srinivasan.



One of the brain behind Indian nuclear Programme, Srinivasan, who has
known Dr Kalam for the last 50 years, while mourning the death of his
‘good friend’ said that Kalam was the coordinator for Pokaharan II
tests as DRDO wanted to test the launch vehicles. He was with DRDO
then, said Srinivasan.



He also recounted the memories he shared with the former president as
a scientist and said Kalam was two years his junior when he joined
Department of Atomic Energy in Mumbai.



“He later went on to do great things in space department and was
intrumental in the development of the satellite launch vehicle
although his initial experiment was a failure. This failure was turned
into success and now we have the Agni missiles developed by him,” said
Srinivasan.



Interestingly, it was sound rockets which were used in India then.
Kalam played a major role in satellite launch vehicle.



Srinivasan said that Kalam was a man who never lost his temper and was
a man of vision. He was a vegetarian and and his favourite meal was
Idli, curd rise and sambar. He invited me and my wife to Rashtrapati
Bhavan and showed us the garden.



Director Indian Space Research Organisation Dr Mayilsami Annadurai
paying tributes to the great scientist said that it was Kalam who
inspired him during the Moon and Mars mission.



“My first interaction with his was during an international conference
where we discussed Chandrayaan. Dr Kalam then said find a way on how
can you go to Moon,” said Mayilsami.



“Although he could not make it to Sriharikota during the Moon mission,
I invited him again on November 14, the day the satellite reached the
moon. And he was there,” he said.



“Interestingly, rather than celebrating the success, he just asked,
what next and that resulted in the Mars Mission. He was at
sriharikota, a day before the launch,” recounted the space scientist.



However, Mayilsamy rues that Kalam, who promised to visit him in
Bangalore after he assumed office, will now no more be visiting him.



Former director of Bhavini Prabhat Kumar said that Kalam showed great
interest in development of 500 Mega Watt Prototype Fast Breeder
Reactor (PFBR) in Kalpakkam, which is an important milestone for
India's three-stage nuclear power programme.



“He had visited the PFBR complex twice. Once when he was a president
and once after he laid down his office,” recounted Kumar