Memories of old

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was one of the presidents of India.

In the year 2005 in the winter month of December he came for the International symposium which I was attending as a student.

After a mass speech, he spoke to many a small group of students who were present in that room.

Our group had four to five girls and he spoke to us about women education and women empowerment.

He told us that as women you may encounter many troubles in your path since women are truly not free even today. But do not get perturbed. Remember there is nothing called a man and a woman. There is only one being on Earth and we are humans alone.

Behave like one and be like one always.

Try to stick around always to what you believe. Never change your beliefs even if they don’t feed you and clothe you well since it’s only your beliefs and faiths alone that make you who you are and who you can be.

After thirteen years I visited his maqbara in Rameshwaram which was hoisted by our present Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sir.

The grave is in the centre and it’s something worth visiting. His life stands out and his beliefs too. When you see the size of the town the size of the man would seem big.

But when you see the sea, the vastness of it, I am sure we all will know that he was smaller than the sea, a part of the sea was perhaps in him and that is what made him deep.

He had spent long hours sitting quietly watching the sea he told us on that trip to the seminar.

His last remains, his things are all there in the museum.

May his soul rest in peace.

Below are some pics from the visit.