Unforgettable, unreal, unexpected. A day that overwhelmed me with happiness, enthusiasm and tears of joy.
“Dream big. Work hard, and the universe itself will conspire to make you a success” – These are the words of former President of India Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s who has always been the inspiration of my leadership journey. I have had a number of significant experiences in my life so far, tearful and joyful with victories and challenges. Yet one memory in particular remains so close and profound in my heart even today, that I recall every detail from inception till the end.
As you may know, congruent to my own story, Dr. Kalam started his life as a poor student. His hard work, positivity and intellect made him a hero for youth across the nation, that’s more than 54% of all Indians. Unbelievable right?
I never imagined that someday I would follow in his footsteps and carry the fight for igniting India’s youth. Let me proudly share with you a glimpse of how it all happened.
So, whenever I think of Dr. Kalam’s biography, I travel back to my own childhood. That early rural life and those challenges in my early schooling. On top of that, being born in a rural agricultural family that never got proper education. Spending time with my father on the field, trying to help him with little to no clue. Yet somehow my parents managed to ignore the ill advising community, who wanted them to abandon me.
Getting enrolled in a government school was a stepping stone to my self-knowledge. School was far from my place and yet when I reached, teachers and students chose to ignore me. For two long years I was kept at the end of a class with no learning or play.
Such a behaviour could have easily broken me but I was adamant to learn. I succeeded in getting into the Devnar School for the Blind in Hyderabad. The transition was not easy. Big city for a blind-child who only knows only Telugu, not a great combination. I literally cried for three days and stopped eating. Not understanding a single word being taught or said. Teachers tried teaching me English and grammar, but the language barrier was too thick.
Something clicked in me and I decided to accept this new life with courage. Perhaps the strength came out of helplessness, or maybe it was anger towards my parents for sending me here. With greater effort and a special teacher, I started to learn English & gain confidence in my abilities. I started believing in myself. My journey to fight the status-quo had just begun.
I found my passion for community service and became an active contributor to blood donation drives, save water campaigns, aids awareness, child labour awareness, and literacy campaigns. I got in the eyes of my teachers who suggested that I participate in a five-day training program sponsored by the Lead India 2020, the second youth national movement. I applied for it, not caring for any wonderful outcome.
Like Lord Krishna has said in Bhagavad Gita – “Just Do It! Don’t worry about the results.”
Most of the training in the Lead India 2020 program was delivered to the students by their peers, Change Agents, who form the Lead India National Club (LINC) in their respective schools. Guided by a 10- point oath designed by Dr. Kalam himself, the ‘change agents’ embrace a new way of living. The graduates of the Lead India 2020 training program set high goals in life and become Change Agents to improve society.
By the end of the training program, organizers and committee members recognized my talent and my vision to develop India. After my speech at the valedictory function, the National Coordinator of Lead India 2020, Dr N.B Sudershan Acharya, asked me to join the committee and organize more training programs. I was both surprised and scared. How will I fit in the shoes of a trainer fulfilling my duties as an organizing member and youth leader of the movement altogether?
As Swami Vivekananda once said “Humanity is greater than religion and service to humanity is service to god.” This thought was my mantra at Lead India & to teach youth about leadership, human values, and employable skills. He always believed that the transformed 540 million youth will lead India to become a developed nation by 2020, by eradicating poverty, illiteracy, and unemployment.
In the process I trained in all aspects of physical, mental, social, spiritual, career and national development. Eventually they made me a youth trainer, and gave me the opportunity to conduct training sessions in more than twenty training programs, each consisting of 200 students.
For me, it was a challenge to make every student think alike and work towards a common national goal. I trained those students in analysis of common problems of youth and how to overcome them and achieve our vision. I conducted village surveys to know the economic and general status of the people.
Just because I studied in a special school for the blind, I had no exposure to the outside world. This experience made me more confident in my leadership and public speaking abilities and expressing without hesitation. I understood the fact that even without proper education a person can build clarity of thinking and expression when encouraged properly. Most important lesson that I carry till this date was to treat everyone with equal respect, regardless of their education level or socioeconomic status.
Some of you may wonder who Dr. Kalam is. It is difficult to summarize his life in a few words, but let me try.
Dr. Kalam was born on the 15th of October in 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. As a student of Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology, he made significant contributions as the Project Director to develop India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III), which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in near earth orbit in July of 1980. An event that made India an exclusive member of the Space Club.
He made his mark by leading integrated guided missile programs, Agni & Prithvi missile systems, weaponing of strategic missile systems and the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in collaboration with the Department of Atomic Energy that made India a nuclear weapon state. He also gave thrust to self-reliance in defense systems by progressing multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft.
Dr. Kalam served as the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, in the rank of Cabinet Minister, from November 1999 to November 2001 and was responsible for evolving policies, strategies and missions for many development applications. Dr. Kalam was also the Chairman, Ex-officio, of the Scientific Advisory Committee to the Cabinet (SAC-C) and piloted India Millennium Mission 2020.
He was one of the most distinguished scientists of India with the unique honor of receiving honorary doctorates from 30 universities and institutions. He has been awarded the coveted civilian awards – Padma Bhushan (1981) and Padma Vibhushan (1990) and the highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna (1997). He is a recipient of several other awards and a Fellow of many professional institutions.
He took up a mission to ignite the young minds for national development by meeting high school students across the country. In his literary pursuits, four of Dr. Kalam’s books – Wings of Fire, India 2020 – A Vision for the New Millennium, My Journey, and Ignited Minds – Unleashing the Power within India, became household names in India and among Indian nationals abroad. These books have been translated in many languages.
Dr. Kalam became the 11th President of India on the 25th July, 2002. His focus was on transforming India into a developed nation by 2020.
On a calm evening in August of 2006, when I was engrossed in exam preparations, the national coordinator of Lead India gave me a surprise call conveying that I was selected as the best youth leader of my state and should prepare to meet the President of India in person shortly. Is it a dream? I could not believe my ears as it was too good to be true. It was one of my childhood fantasies to meet him. His incredible story of coming from a very modest background and yet growing up to become the most respected individual in the country and becoming the President, has burnt a fire inside me since forever.
Childish me. Whenever I get excited, I usually stop doing everything and just relax and dream about the experience over and over, as if the good news has already happened. As expected, the news came and I stopped studying. My life became a flashback of all the dreams I had growing up. I have heard great people say that the key to fulfilling dreams is to visualize our goals and feel happiness. Unsurprisingly, I did this many times throughout my life imagining Dr. Kalam and myself in the coziness of the Mogul Garden where the president relaxes, walking together, talking to each other and discussing life, work and purpose in that serene environment with hundreds of fresh cool air blowing trees, sweet smelling flowers, nice silky green grass, tall sprinkling water fountains & chirping birds (especially peacocks).
I never expected that such a visualization could ever become true. In a glad co-incidence, on that same evening I had just started to read his autobiography, Wings of Fire, to derive some inspiration from his life. It is everything about his incredible journey to become the president of India and a great source of inspiration to millions of people around the globe.
It was all meant to be. My experience with Lead India 2020 made my childhood dream of meeting him even more meaningful. In a few weeks, I gathered courage and took a 27-hour train ride from Hyderabad to New Delhi for him. I don’t like to travel for such long amounts of time, but during this trip in awe and excitement I barely realized that I was traveling. All along, I visualized my meeting with Dr Kalam. Some people envied the opportunity I was afforded, and others mocked me as I would turn into a limelight in the event. Funny enough, I did not realize that their words would become true soon.
As I arrived, organizers said that the president had very little time and so he might not meet personally. This news hurt me & I began to cry, trying not to lose hope and kept imagining. I was being escorted to the President’s official meeting hall. I waited with bated breath praying for the President’s arrival. A stark silence pervaded the room. Emotions of happiness, eagerness, fear had swept over me and then suddenly the President walked in briskly. I could not forget the moment when the president entered the meeting hall. I still remember those quick footsteps. His first words ring clear and loud in my ears even today – “Dear friends, always dream. Dream, but don’t forget to turn them into reality”
As I could not see him from a distance, my heart grew small. It occurred to me that I will never be able to see how he looks. I could only hear his golden voice for which I had been waiting for years.
I recollect great words from Helen Keller, who once said that “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” I deeply felt strong that I had achieved everything worked towards, just by listening to him personally.
Soon after I was invited to address the gathering about my work with Lead India, I was invited with a Namaste. I believe I must be one of the luckiest people in the world to receive a Namaste from him. He held both of my hands and welcomed me. I felt I was in the hands of a God who could protect us all forever. I genuinely trembled with a shaky body and happy tears. The five minutes I spoke felt like generations. I gracefully stood beside my hero, for what I have been dreaming for years. I had no words to utter. I gathered myself, took my seat after the speech, and just listened to the presidential address.
After a few questions and comments, he asked how many of us wanted to occupy the Presidential chair in future. Only I got up and said that it was my aim to become the first blind President of India, and lead the country to an important position in the world. I said that I first wanted to start my own software company and provide employment for youth in rural areas. He patted me on the back and shook hands with me. His biggest fan caught his attention.
It was a moment of great pride for me when the President officially released the book I personally transcribed into Braille called Curriculum for Lead India.
After this first meeting, I was standing alone recollecting the glorious moments with India’s president. Suddenly someone gripped my hands and walked a few steps with me. Inviting me for a photograph together. It was the President himself. My heart raced with joy.
To his surprise, in my own audacity. I asked him if I could touch his hair. He humbly agreed. I knew no bounds when he allowed me to run my fingers through those wavy hair of his. The President encouraged me to study well and achieve success in whatever I do. This meeting by far is the proudest moment of my life and the dust of time will never be able to erase the fond memories of meeting the man I admire the most. Remembering a moment in my life when time seemed to stand still, and I felt that I had achieved something great but then it dawned on me that there is a long way to go before I reach my ultimate goal.
He even had a few words to speak about me in one of his addresses. (click to the video link)
As Swami Vivekananda said, “Arise awake and stop not till your goal is reached.”
After evening snacks and many other memories, I sat on the bus while my mind was left in the Mughal Gardens. Still standing next to him & taking his blessings. I wanted time to freeze. Everyone treated me like an icon that evening and when I came home, everyone wanted to have dinner with me. They hailed me for meeting the president himself. They didn’t know that I have come back with a bigger mission to create a better tomorrow for every Indian.
I remember acting like the president during our school functions. People teased me with a nickname – President Srikanth, but I really hope their wishes will come true one day. I believe that with noble vision and sheer willpower, no physical barriers can stop us.
I continued my hard work at school, then MIT and today at Bollant and various other ventures we are taking India forward. I carry the spark I received from Dr. Kalam to build a life that can inspire others to believe in their own dreams.
