LESSONS FROMWINGS OF

FIREGROUP 2

Background

Personality Traits

Leadership Principles

People’s President

At the helm of DRDLReview of Kalam & Presidency

Topics Covered

• Full name :Dr Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam

• Born Oct 1931,at in Rameswaram District, Tamil Nadu

• Father:Jainulabdeen Marakayar,a boat owner

• Mother:Ashiamma• Has three siblings • Died on : 27Th July 2015

About the Legend

People who Inspired

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• Apart from his Parents, Teachers like Iyadurai Solomon, Guidance of Rev.Father Sequeria, Vikram Sarabhai

• Two people influenced right from childhoodJallaluddin – Brother in LawSamsuddin – First Cousin – Helped Abdul

Kalam to earn his first income

• Primary education was from Rameshwaram elementary school.

• Later he settled in schwartz, Ramanathapuram where he was highly inspired by his teacher IYADURAI SOLOMON,who told to master three forces desire,belief and expectation.

• In 1950 he joined St Joseph college at Tiruchirapalli to do B.Sc

• He joined DMIT in Aeronautical Engineering at MIT,Madas(1954-1957)

• In 1958,after passing as a graduate,aeronautical engineer,he joined Hindustan Aeronautical Limited(HAL),Bangalore as a trainee.

Education

As an Aerospace Engineer-Major Contributions• Job at the Directorate of Technical

Development & Production(DTD &P).• Project Director- development of India's

first indigenous Satelite Launch Vehicle(SLV-III).

• Director of DRDO- Kalam was entrusted with the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme(IGMDP), India's most successful military research task to date. The programme constituted of 5 major projects which was scheduled to be completed in 10 years

(1) Nag - an anti-tank guided missile (2) Prithvi - a surface-to-surface battlefield missile (3) Akash - a swift, medium-range surface-to-air missile (4) Trishul - a quick-reaction surface-to-air missile with a shorter range (5) Agni - an intermediate range ballistic missile, the mightiest• Chief Scientific Adviser to Prime Minister and Secretary,

Department of Defense Research & Development from July 1992 to December 1999. Pokhran – II nuclear tests were conducted during this period.

• As Chairman, Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), he generated the Technology Vision 2020 documents.

President• On 25th July 2002 – He became the 11th

President. He met 1000’s of children during his presidency. He was known as the People’s President.

• He is the first scientist and a bachelor to chair the position of a president holding the largest Democracy.

• Retired- 25th July 2007

AWARDS WON

Bharat Ratna Award on Republic Day 1997

•Padma Bhusan – 1981•Padma Vibhushan – 1990• First Asian to be honored with “Hoover Medal” 2009.•Honorary doctorates from about 30 universities globally.

Personality Traits

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1. Integrity2. Highly spiritual3. Hardworking4. Determined5. Perseverance6. Passion for the work7. Positve Thinker

IntegrityWork is GodServed as the 11th President of India from 2002-2007 and is till now considered one of the best politician/leader in the country. He brought dignity to every work he did.

Highly spiritual

Strong Value SystemHe had immense trust in God and his parents.He believed that prayer act as a stimulus to creative ideas.He believed that there exist a divine power that can lift one from confusion, misery, melancholy and failure, and guide one to one’s true place.He begins his day by reading the Bhagavat Gita.Being an Islam he had confessed that he was a ‘Ram Bhakt’.

HardworkingDedication to WorkHe took leave from work just twice, when his parents died.He always worked for about 18 hrs a day. He always used to set short term and long term goals.

DeterminedChase for scholarship

When Prof. Srinivasan, Director MIT, reviewed his project and said it was disappointing, eventhough he asked for a delay of one month but was given a hard deadline of 3 days

Drive to follow collective dreamWhen the SLV-3 Apogee rocket was scheduled to be flight tested in France, he receive the news that his mother had passed away. Even if he was physically exhausted and emotionally shattered, he was determined to fulfil an ambition of flying an Indian rocket motor on foreign soil

PerseveranceRags to RichesHe believed that “With faith, you can change your destiny”, a lesson from his teacher Iyadurai SolomanNot the end, just a bendThe premature death of the hovercraft Nandi, the abandoning of the RATO, the abortion of the SLV-Diamont fourth stage,failure of the first experimental flight trial of SLV-3 were lessons to prepare for a greater success.

Passion for the work

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Love what you do and do what you loveDuring his schooling days itself he had developed a great interest in English literature and Physics.He believed that those who cannot work with their hearts achieve,but a hollow half-hearted success that breeds biterness all around

Positve ThinkerLessons from childhoodThe first lessons on positive thinking was from Jallaluddin, who said– “Strive to control your thoughts and your mind and through these influence your destiny”.Letting things happenWhen his long cherished dream to fly was shattered as he was not selected in the Indian Air Force, he went with his destiny to join as a Senior Scientific Assistant at DTD&P (Air)“All birds find shelter during a rain. But

eagle avoids rain by flying above the clouds. Problems are common, but

attitude makes the difference!”

A comparison with Big Five TraitsBIG FIVE TRAITS TRAITS EXHIBITED BY KALAM OUTCOME

Emotional Stability • Positive Thinking• Better Decision Making

Inspiring Leader promoted To Dream Big & Achieve Great Goals

Extraversion • Great Interpersonal Skills Infectious Personality &The Humble President Of India

Openness • Quest For Learning• Innovative/Creative• Flexible And Autonomous

“Missile Man” Of IndiaOr Father Of Indian Missile Technology

Agreeableness • Individual Recognition To Team Members (Better Liked)

Great Colleague

Conscientiousness • Hardworking & Determined Discipled

• Organized & Planned

Single minded devotion to work

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• He was Dr. Abdul Kalam’s mentor and played an important role in shaping his leadership capabilities

• Prof. Sarabhai was ever-willing to try out novel approaches and liked to draw in young people.

• He was an ideal experimenter and innovator• A bunch of young, inexperienced, but nevertheless

energetic and enthusiastic persons were given the task of fleshing out the spirit of self- reliance in the field of science and technology in general, and of space research in particular. It was a great example of leadership by trust.

Prof Vikram Sarabhai

• He considered the collective understanding of the problem the main attribute of effective leadership.

• He brought into use each person’s knowledge and skills. He made every man feel directly involved in problem solving.

• Prof. Sarabhai never tried to hide his disappointment. He used to talk with us in an honest and objective manner.

• He used to challenge everyone in a subtle way to stretch their capabilities by bringing in someone better from the developed world into the technical team

Contd..

Leadership Principles• An optimist: Everything is possibleAt ADE(Aeronautical Development Establishment) Bangalore APJ led a team of four scientists to design an indigenous hovercraft. They were given 3 years to launch the model. There was limited information and resources available and yet they continuously put in efforts consistently for 1 year and successfully designed the model. It did not happen immediately, but it happened nevertheless.

Contd..• Participative Decision MakingDefence R&D at that time was heavily dependent on imported equipment. Virtually nothing indigenous was available and there was a need to come up with an alternative. APJ involved one of his young colleague who had a positive attitude to chalk out a plan and come up with suggestions. He came up with a sound proposition and highlighted the importance of business acumen in developmental work with high stakes.

• Total commitment in the creation of SLV“To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal. Total

commitment is a crucial quality for those who want to reach the very top of their profession.

The desire to work at optimum capacity leaves hardly any room for anything else. “

• He had immense confidence in his team; a team that would stand like a rock in success and failure.

Relationship oriented vs Task oriented

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• Another interesting concept that Dr Kalam brings in, called `flow`, which is a by-product of work with full and hearty involvement.

• The failure of SLV did not dampen his spirits. He took the responsibility for the failure of the launch of SLV. He took one step at a time to resolve issues and made sure he motivated his team members to not give up. All his consistent efforts led to India’s first Satellite Launch Vehicle, SLV-3 lifted off from Sriharikota (SHAR) Rocket Launch Station.

Contd..

Leadership lessons from Dr.APJ.Abdul Kalam,

• Leaders Ignite the minds of OthersDr Kalam was a destiny’s child. A man with nothing except curiosity and passion for flying, with wings of fire, flew as high as he could in the sky. And, like a special satellite that orbits the Universe, he went about his mission, igniting millions of young minds and many nations

Contd..• Leaders care, share and maintain transparencyDr.Kalam boasted nothing but learnt as much as he can till his last breath. He kept nothing to himself but shared with transparency and sincerity to each and every one, everything he learnt, who crossed his life till his last breath at IIM,Shillon“By showing that it was possible to think big and look far, he did what the best leaders always do: recalibrate what people think is possible.”

-Manish Sabharwal

Contd..• Leaders humble themselvesSuch was his leadership style that Dr.Abdul Kalam's accession to power and position was just occasions to further humble himself as much possible as he can, so that the people who met him can feel stronger and taller in their heart and life.

Contd..• Leaders Inspire others and make them

dream rather than making them believe in their own dreams

Dr.Kalam inspired millions of young hearts to dream; And,made them to believe in their dreams. He wanted people to dream, to transform their dreams into thoughts that can result into actions. Dr.Kalam envisioned a developed India that is very much a reality through strong vision

Contd..• Leaders are truly VisionaryDr. Kalam strongly believed that future India’s success rest over PURA(Providing Urban Amenities in Rural Areas). And, that is the way forward, to create a developed India. He is truly a visionary.

• Leaders look for solutions to problems with Innovative mindset

What can a missile scientist do with his learning's to alleviate India’s problems? He cross-pollinated the idea of using the high-grade steel used in missiles that can kill people and designed and developed, what is famously known as Kalam-Raju Stent-that now saves people...at fraction of the cost compared to those expensive ones, making it more affordable

Contd..

People’s President• Indians tend to see Kalam as a father

figure, but not as one in authority.• He was not just a father figure. An

outsider in politics and free of political affiliations, he redefined and demystified Indian presidency.

• From India’s Missile Man, he became the People’s President

Contd..

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• He emphasized that leaders should have a vision and not be

afraid to go down unfamiliar paths. Most importantly, Kalam

said, they should know how to manage failure

“He pushed the country to reach new heights and to aspire to

lead the way in its global rise, rather than aim to merely catch-

up with the developed nations.”–Saikat Chaudhuri

At the helm of DRDLIn 1982, after a brief tussle between ISRO and DRDO for the services of Dr Kalam, he was finally appointed the head of DRDL division. The morale was at its ebb following the failure of Project Valiant and Project Devil. The atmosphere was gloomy.

• Opportunities“Do not make anything which you can’t sell later and do not spend your life on making one thing only”• Interactive“I not only described and explained our goals, but also made them an interplay between our work and ourselves”He invited people from IISc, IITs, TIFR for their expertise. This shocked the senior scientists.

Contd..

• Open door approach to critical decisions-Formation of Missile Technology Committee within DRDL (management by participation)• Reorganisation of IGMDP dept.

Chose five project leaders who in turn trained another twenty five future project leaders

Contd..

Contd..

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• Avoided close contact“Through loyalty to a friend one can be easily

led into doing something that is not in the best interests of the organisation”• Learning from another leader

Smt. Indira Gandhi visited the facility on July 1984. On being told that the Prithvi missile test flight be possible as early as 1987, she responded what else is needed by the facility to accelerate the work.

Contd..• Combine experience with young blood-

“A big shot is a little shot who keeps on shooting, so keeps on trying”Four basic factors for success:a.Goal-settingb.Positive Thinkingc.Visualizingd.Believing

Dedication and sacrifice:Agni team- VR Nagaraj, leader of the electrical integration team. His brother-in-law passed away while he was at ITR, his family kept this news from him so that there would be no interruption in his work towards the launching of AgniAgni-I was first tested in 1989, Prithvi-I in 1988 and Pokharan-II Tests were held in 1997 under the supervision of Dr KalamDr APJ Abdul Kalam was awarded Padma Vibhushan in 1990 recognising his pioneering work in development of Prithvi and Agni missiles.

WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT KALAM

Truly humble, polite, and above all, patriotic and idealistic - Dr M. Vidya Sagar (Sub ordinate)

“A man of integrity” - Satish Dhawan ( Mentor)

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Never once did I see him lose his temper. You could tell he was not happy with you by a strange expression he used to employ: 'You are a funny guy, I say’ - Dr P K Menon (colleague)

PRESIDENCYAs a President, he continued to do what he was already doing - inspiring people

He was affectionately known as the People's President

Issues Handled During Presidency TimeOffice of Profit billAn office of profit is a term used in a number of national constitutions to refer to executive appointments. A number of countries forbid members of the legislature from accepting an office of profit under the executive as a means to secure the independence of the legislature and preserve the separation of powers

Sharad Pawar IssueBCCI  is registered as a charitable organization , and having a post there is exempt under the Office of Profit exclusions. Kalam was powerless to do anything against it

Mercy petitionsHe left 20 odd mercy petitions open, and Pratiba Patil gave clemency to half of them. They were criminals of the worst kind.

“Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion

and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most

importantly,he must work with integrity”

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam