Editing A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (section)

== Career as a scientist ==
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| quote = This was my first stage, in which I learnt leadership from three great teachers—Dr [[Vikram Sarabhai]], Prof [[Satish Dhawan]] and Dr [[Brahm Prakash]]. This was the time of learning and acquisition of knowledge for me.
| source = A P J Abdul Kalam<ref name="nic">{{cite web|title=Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam |url=http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in/scientists/abdulkalam/abdulkalam.htm |publisher=[[National Informatics Centre]] |access-date=1 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309080244/http://www.vigyanprasar.gov.in/scientists/Abdulkalam/Abdulkalam.htm |archive-date=9 March 2007 }}</ref>}}

After graduating from the [[Madras Institute of Technology]] in 1960, Kalam joined the [[Aeronautical Development Establishment]] of the [[Defence Research and Development Organisation]] (by Press Information Bureau, Government of India) as a scientist after becoming a member of the [[Defence Research & Development Service]] (DRDS). He started his career by designing a small [[hovercraft]], but remained unconvinced by his choice of a job at DRDO.<ref name="Sumita Vaid Dixit">{{cite news|last=Gopalakrishnan|first=Karthika|title=Kalam tells students to follow their heart|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-06-23/chennai/28168542_1_kalam-primary-school-maths-class|access-date=4 July 2012|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|date=23 June 2009|location=Chennai, India|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130523213320/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-06-23/chennai/28168542_1_kalam-primary-school-maths-class|archive-date=23 May 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Kalam joined the [[Indian National Committee for Space Research|INCOSPAR]], working under [[Vikram Sarabhai]], the renowned space scientist.<ref name="PIB01march12" /> He was interviewed and recruited into ISRO by [[H. G. S. Murthy]], the first Director of  [[Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station|Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS)]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-i-m-proud-that-i-recommended-him-for-isro-ev-chitnis-2109096|title=I'm proud that I recommended him for ISRO: EV Chitnis|first=Ashwini|last=Pawar|date=29 July 2015|website=DNA India|access-date=30 December 2022|archive-date=9 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210709211836/https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-i-m-proud-that-i-recommended-him-for-isro-ev-chitnis-2109096|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1969, Kalam was transferred to the [[Indian Space Research Organisation]] (ISRO) where he was the project director of India's first Satellite Launch Vehicle ([[Satellite Launch Vehicle|SLV]]-III) which successfully deployed the [[Rohini (satellite)|''Rohini'']] satellite in near-earth orbit in July 1980; Kalam had first started work on an expandable rocket project independently at DRDO in 1965.<ref name=Britannica>{{cite book |title=A to C (Abd Allah ibn al-Abbas to Cypress).|date=2000|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica (India)|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-0-85229-760-5|page=2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kpd9lLY_0-IC|author=Ramchandani|editor=Dale Hoiberg|access-date=10 August 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829192223/https://books.google.com/books?id=Kpd9lLY_0-IC|archive-date=29 August 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1969, Kalam received the government's approval and expanded the programme to include more engineers.<ref name="nic" />

In 1963 to 1964, he visited [[NASA]]'s [[Langley Research Center]] in [[Hampton, Virginia]]; [[Goddard Space Flight Center]] in [[Greenbelt, Maryland]]; and [[Wallops Flight Facility]].<ref name="KalamTiwari1999" /><ref name="Inc.1989">{{cite journal |title=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists|journal = Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Science and Public Affairs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6AUAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32|date=November 1989|publisher=Educational Foundation for Nuclear Science |page=32|issn=0096-3402|access-date=9 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160511004955/https://books.google.com/books?id=6AUAAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA32|archive-date=11 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Between the 1970s and 1990s, Kalam made an effort to develop the [[Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle]] (PSLV) and SLV-III projects, both of which proved to be successful.

Kalam was invited by [[Raja Ramanna]] to witness the country's first nuclear test [[Smiling Buddha]] as the representative of [[Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory|TBRL]], even though he had not participated in its development. In the 1970s, Kalam also directed two projects, ''[[Project Devil]]'' and ''[[Project Valiant]]'', which sought to develop ballistic missiles from the technology of the successful SLV programme.<ref name="James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies" /> Despite the disapproval of the [[Union Council of Ministers of India|Union Cabinet]], Prime Minister [[Indira Gandhi]] allotted secret funds for these aerospace projects through her discretionary powers under Kalam's directorship.<ref name="James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies" /> Kalam played an integral role convincing the Union Cabinet to conceal the true nature of these classified aerospace projects.<ref name="James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies">{{cite web|url=http://www.nti.org/media/pdfs/india_missile.pdf?_=1316466791|publisher=James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at Monterey Institute of International Studies, Nuclear Threat Initiative|date=July 2003|title=Missile Chronology, 1971–1979|access-date=1 March 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120103945/http://www.nti.org/media/pdfs/india_missile.pdf?_=1316466791|archive-date=20 November 2012}}</ref>
His research and educational leadership brought him great laurels and prestige in the 1980s, which prompted the government to initiate an advanced missile programme under his directorship.<ref name="James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies" /> Kalam and [[V. S. R. Arunachalam|Dr V S Arunachalam]], metallurgist and scientific adviser to the Defence Minister, worked on the suggestion by the then Defence Minister, [[R. Venkataraman]] on a proposal for simultaneous development of a quiver of missiles instead of taking planned missiles one after another.<ref name="RV">{{cite news | url = http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1913/19131240.htm | title = The prime motivator | newspaper = [[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]] | date = 5 July 2002 | access-date = 5 July 2012 | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061021161310/http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl1913/19131240.htm | archive-date = 21 October 2006}}</ref> R Venkatraman was instrumental in getting the cabinet approval for allocating {{Indian Rupee}} 3.88&nbsp;billion for the mission, named [[Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme]] (IGMDP) and appointed Kalam as the chief executive.<ref name="RV" /> Kalam played a major part in developing many missiles under the mission including [[Agni missile|Agni]], an intermediate range ballistic missile and [[Prithvi missile|Prithvi]], the tactical surface-to-surface missile, although the projects have been criticised for mismanagement and cost and time overruns.<ref name="RV" /><ref name="IGMDP Criticism">{{cite news | url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-01-09/india/27782318_1_akash-visual-range-air-to-air-missile-missile-development-programme | title=Missile plan: Some hits, misses | newspaper=[[The Times of India]] | first=Rajat | last=Pandit | agency=TNN | date=9 January 2008 | access-date=1 March 2012 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111118112401/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-01-09/india/27782318_1_akash-visual-range-air-to-air-missile-missile-development-programme | archive-date=18 November 2011 | url-status=dead }}</ref>

Kalam served as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and [[Secretary to Government of India|Secretary]] of the [[Defence Research and Development Organisation]] from July 1992 to December 1999. The ''[[Pokhran-II]]'' nuclear tests were conducted during this period in which he played an intensive political and technological role. Kalam served as the Chief Project Coordinator, along with [[Rajagopala Chidambaram]], during the testing phase.<ref name="KalamTiwari1999" /><ref name="Conley2001">{{cite book|author=Jerome M. Conley|title=Indo-Russian military and nuclear cooperation: lessons and options for U.S. policy in South Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SZRk_z3dhtYC&pg=PA106|date=2001|publisher=Lexington Books|isbn=978-0-7391-0217-6|page=106|access-date=9 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425020736/https://books.google.com/books?id=SZRk_z3dhtYC&pg=PA106|archive-date=25 April 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Media coverage of Kalam during this period made him the country's best known nuclear scientist.<ref>{{cite news|title=Koodankulam nuclear plant: A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's safety review has failed to satisfy nuke plant protestors, expert laments|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-11-08/news/30373196_1_safety-review-safety-norms-koodankulam|access-date=20 June 2012|newspaper=[[The Economic Times]]|date=8 November 2011|author=ANI|location=Chennai, India|archive-date=10 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410003051/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-11-08/news/30373196_1_safety-review-safety-norms-koodankulam|url-status=live}}</ref> However, the director of the site test, K Santhanam, said that the [[thermonuclear bomb]] had been a "[[fizzle (nuclear test)|fizzle]]" and criticised Kalam for issuing an incorrect report.<ref name="pok">{{cite news | url=http://www.frontlineonnet.com/fl2619/stories/20090925261902000.htm | title=Pokhran row | newspaper=Frontline | first1=Ramachandran | last1=R. | date=25 September 2009 | access-date=5 July 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110203180132/http://frontlineonnet.com/fl2619/stories/20090925261902000.htm | archive-date=3 February 2011}}</ref> Both Kalam and Chidambaram dismissed the claims.<ref>{{cite web|author=Hardnews bureau|title=Pokhran II controversy needless: PM|url=http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2009/08/3161|publisher=Hard News|date=August 2009|access-date=1 March 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120525092955/http://www.hardnewsmedia.com/2009/08/3161|archive-date=25 May 2012}}</ref>

In 1998, along with cardiologist [[Bhupathiraju Somaraju|Soma Raju]], Kalam developed a low cost [[coronary stent]], named the "Kalam-Raju Stent".<ref>{{cite news|title=Story of indigenous stents|url=http://www.hindu.com/businessline/2001/08/15/stories/041567so.htm|newspaper=The Hindu-Businessline|date=15 August 2001|location=India|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528085930/http://www.hindu.com/businessline/2001/08/15/stories/041567so.htm|archive-date=28 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The stent man|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/dec/19ap.htm|newspaper=Rediff-News|date=19 December 1998|location=India|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518111556/http://www.rediff.com/news/1998/dec/19ap.htm|archive-date=18 May 2013}}</ref> In 2012, the duo designed a rugged tablet computer for health care in rural areas, which was named the "Kalam-Raju Tablet".<ref>{{cite news|title=Now, 'Kalam-Raju tablet' for healthcare workers|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article3025860.ece|access-date=19 April 2012|work=The Hindu|location=India|first=M. Sai|last=Gopal|date=22 March 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425093504/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/article3025860.ece|archive-date=25 April 2012}}</ref>