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Wings of Fire
Autobiography of an Indian scientist who later became the President of India.
56 pages, Audio CD
First published January 1, 1999
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52466 people want to read
About the author
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
141 books1,876 followersAvul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (Tamil: அவுல் பகீர் ஜைனுலாப்தீன் அப்துல் கலாம்) usually referred to as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, was one of India's most distinguished scientists. He was an Aerospace engineer, professor, and chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. During his term as President, he was popularly known as the People's President.
Before his term as India's president, he worked as an aeronautical engineer with DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). He was responsible for the development of India's first satellite launch vehicle,the SLV-3 He is popularly known as the Missile Man of India for his work on development of ballistic missile and space rocket technology. Kalam played a pivotal organisational, technical and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.
He has the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from thirty universities and the country's three highest civilian honours - Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990) and Bharat Ratna (1997).
Former President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who became popular as ‘People’s President’, passed away on July 27th, 2015 at the age of 83 in Shillong, India.
Before his term as India's president, he worked as an aeronautical engineer with DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation). He was responsible for the development of India's first satellite launch vehicle,the SLV-3 He is popularly known as the Missile Man of India for his work on development of ballistic missile and space rocket technology. Kalam played a pivotal organisational, technical and political role in India's Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974.
He has the unique honour of receiving honorary doctorates from thirty universities and the country's three highest civilian honours - Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990) and Bharat Ratna (1997).
Former President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, who became popular as ‘People’s President’, passed away on July 27th, 2015 at the age of 83 in Shillong, India.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,339 reviews
June 8, 2022
There are many people who I have to thank for developing my reading habit. Sarala teacher, my high school English teacher, will be on the top of that list. She is one of the first people who understood my love for literature even before she started teaching me when she saw the essay I wrote for an essay writing competition. This is the book she recommended to me when I was going through a challenging phase of my life. That was also the first book recommendation I got in my life.
This book has made an extraordinary impact on my life. Kalam's love for books, quest for knowledge and simplicity, workaholic nature, leadership skills which he learned from his seniors like Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan, fightbacks from failures, love for children, and ability to motivate others, are all excellently portrayed in this book. This is a book you should never miss if you are someone who loves to read biographies.
December 4, 2008
Amazing book there are a lot of things to be learned from these books . Ill just mention few lines which i really liked from the book.
"We are all born with a divine fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this fire".
Desire when it stems from the heart and the spirit when it is pure and intense possesses awesome electromagnetic energy.This energy is released into the ether each night as the mind falls into sleep state. Each morning it returns to the conscious state reinforced with the cosmic currents. That which has been imaged will surely and certainly be manifested. You can rely, yough man , upon this ageless prmise as surely as you can rely upon the eternally unbroken promise of sunrise ...
" Those things that hurt instruct"- Benjamin Franklin
All reasonable men adapt themselves to the world. Only a few unreasonable ones persist in adapting the world to themselves . All progress in the world depends on these unreasonable men and their innovative and often non-conformist actions.
I have always considered the price of perfection prohibitive and allowed mistakes as a part of learning process.
When the freedom they wished for most was the freedom from responsibility then Athens ceased to be free nad was never free again.
-The historian Edith Hamilton wrote of greece
The desire to work at optimum capacity leaves hardly any room for anything else .
Flow is a sensation we experience when we act with total involvement.
When each task of your project is not just a means to an end but a unique event in itself then you are doing it well.
To live only for a future is superficial. It is like climbing a mountainto reach the peak without experiencing its sides. The sides of the mountain sustain life not the peak. This is where things grow and experience is gained and technologies are mastered.
"The sweetness we taste in a piece of sugar is neither a property of sugar nor a property of ouselves, we are producing the experience of sweetness in the process of interacting with the sugar"-Ronald Fisher
Robert Schuller who built the crystal cathedral- "God can do tremendous things through the person who doesnt care about who gets the credit . The ego involvement must go"
Sun Tzu-" War is not decimating ur enemy physically but breaking his will so as to make him concede defeat in his mind."
God has not promised
Skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways
All our life through;
God has not promised
Sun without rain
Joy without sorrow
Peace without pain.
Pythogoras -"Above all things reverence yourself."
Looking at all these things it looks like a personality building session but actually is the persons life
Salute you SIR APJ
"We are all born with a divine fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this fire".
Desire when it stems from the heart and the spirit when it is pure and intense possesses awesome electromagnetic energy.This energy is released into the ether each night as the mind falls into sleep state. Each morning it returns to the conscious state reinforced with the cosmic currents. That which has been imaged will surely and certainly be manifested. You can rely, yough man , upon this ageless prmise as surely as you can rely upon the eternally unbroken promise of sunrise ...
" Those things that hurt instruct"- Benjamin Franklin
All reasonable men adapt themselves to the world. Only a few unreasonable ones persist in adapting the world to themselves . All progress in the world depends on these unreasonable men and their innovative and often non-conformist actions.
I have always considered the price of perfection prohibitive and allowed mistakes as a part of learning process.
When the freedom they wished for most was the freedom from responsibility then Athens ceased to be free nad was never free again.
-The historian Edith Hamilton wrote of greece
The desire to work at optimum capacity leaves hardly any room for anything else .
Flow is a sensation we experience when we act with total involvement.
When each task of your project is not just a means to an end but a unique event in itself then you are doing it well.
To live only for a future is superficial. It is like climbing a mountainto reach the peak without experiencing its sides. The sides of the mountain sustain life not the peak. This is where things grow and experience is gained and technologies are mastered.
"The sweetness we taste in a piece of sugar is neither a property of sugar nor a property of ouselves, we are producing the experience of sweetness in the process of interacting with the sugar"-Ronald Fisher
Robert Schuller who built the crystal cathedral- "God can do tremendous things through the person who doesnt care about who gets the credit . The ego involvement must go"
Sun Tzu-" War is not decimating ur enemy physically but breaking his will so as to make him concede defeat in his mind."
God has not promised
Skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways
All our life through;
God has not promised
Sun without rain
Joy without sorrow
Peace without pain.
Pythogoras -"Above all things reverence yourself."
Looking at all these things it looks like a personality building session but actually is the persons life
Salute you SIR APJ
December 15, 2007
Note: This book is about being Indian. It doesn't make alot of sense to read this book if you're not an Indian (either from birth or heritage).
That said, the only word possible to describe the book is "inspirational". What other word could possibly describe a dirt-poor Muslim growing up to become president of a country filled w/ 800 million Hindus? Supported by both major political parties, the man is considered the quintessential Indian.
Abdul Kalam wasn't a member of any of the disparate groups who combined forces to push back the British occupiers... occupiers that had deliberately slaughtered millions of Indians over hundreds of years. If he had an opinion of the brutal partition that tore India in half, he didn't mentioned it in the book. No one asked him for an explanation of India's humiliating defeat at the hands of China in 1962. It's almost as if he missed all of the major mind-blowing events of his time. So why exactly is he so important?
When Abdul Kalam was growing up, he was just a young man eager to learn as much as possible about science. Successive mentors convinced him that there was a great goal to be achieved in making India self-sufficient in multiple areas. Eventually he came to greatness by overseeing the development of satellite launch vehicles, a feat duplicated by only a handful of other countries. Those SLVs served as the basis for a variety of state-of-the-art military missiles. (caveat: I'm not an expert on whether they're actually state of the art, but India is certainly holding her own...)
From an American viewpoint, where everyone is screaming bloody murder about weapons proliferation, Abdul Kalam's recollections of France's withdrawl of support and false accusations of German help serve as a disturbing reminder that embargoing a country simply cannot work if the country's populace is determined to control their own destiny. It's disturbing that there is little discussion on the ethics of an impoverished nation developing nuclear weapons and deploying delivery systems... but that's almost completely lost in the discussion of self-reliance and a determination to never again submit to foreign rule.
"You gotta believe!" may be an ok motto coming from Parappa the Rappa, but it sounds corny coming from just about anyone else... but not from Abdul Kalam. The man is boundless optimism, and it's infectious. Any gathering of Indian adults in America will inevitably produce the whining that their kids are too Americanized and they don't respect India and blahblahblah. My opinion on this is that kids who grow up outside of India don't appreciate India's potential. This book is the solution. I challenge any skeptic of India's greatness to try to read this book without having your views fundamentally altered.
That said, the only word possible to describe the book is "inspirational". What other word could possibly describe a dirt-poor Muslim growing up to become president of a country filled w/ 800 million Hindus? Supported by both major political parties, the man is considered the quintessential Indian.
Abdul Kalam wasn't a member of any of the disparate groups who combined forces to push back the British occupiers... occupiers that had deliberately slaughtered millions of Indians over hundreds of years. If he had an opinion of the brutal partition that tore India in half, he didn't mentioned it in the book. No one asked him for an explanation of India's humiliating defeat at the hands of China in 1962. It's almost as if he missed all of the major mind-blowing events of his time. So why exactly is he so important?
When Abdul Kalam was growing up, he was just a young man eager to learn as much as possible about science. Successive mentors convinced him that there was a great goal to be achieved in making India self-sufficient in multiple areas. Eventually he came to greatness by overseeing the development of satellite launch vehicles, a feat duplicated by only a handful of other countries. Those SLVs served as the basis for a variety of state-of-the-art military missiles. (caveat: I'm not an expert on whether they're actually state of the art, but India is certainly holding her own...)
From an American viewpoint, where everyone is screaming bloody murder about weapons proliferation, Abdul Kalam's recollections of France's withdrawl of support and false accusations of German help serve as a disturbing reminder that embargoing a country simply cannot work if the country's populace is determined to control their own destiny. It's disturbing that there is little discussion on the ethics of an impoverished nation developing nuclear weapons and deploying delivery systems... but that's almost completely lost in the discussion of self-reliance and a determination to never again submit to foreign rule.
"You gotta believe!" may be an ok motto coming from Parappa the Rappa, but it sounds corny coming from just about anyone else... but not from Abdul Kalam. The man is boundless optimism, and it's infectious. Any gathering of Indian adults in America will inevitably produce the whining that their kids are too Americanized and they don't respect India and blahblahblah. My opinion on this is that kids who grow up outside of India don't appreciate India's potential. This book is the solution. I challenge any skeptic of India's greatness to try to read this book without having your views fundamentally altered.
May 21, 2014
I would like to emphasize here that it is just an opinion of one person and I truly admire the man Dr Kalam is as I had the honour of meeting him in person as well, but this book somehow did not impress me at all. It was full of so much scientific terminologies and details that for a layman it is hard to stay focussed. When I read an autobiography, I am more interested not to know about the factual details about a personality as that can be available anywhere on the internet. For me it is important to know the events that made the people great. Unfortunately this book fails to do that for me. It is important to learn about the struggle story and the psyche of the individual in tough times to feel inspired and motivated by an account. That did not happen when I read this book.But then again it is the opinion of just one girl !
December 25, 2016
3.5 stars.
The first autobiography I've read, and I really enjoyed it. Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is a source of infinite pride and inspiration for every aspiring youths and in particular , young scientists.
A really motivative book which gives us a glimpse of the two sides of a bright golden coin, one is Dr. Kalam as a fine , compassionate , humble, optimistic and a highly respectable human being, the other side, an extraordinarily skillful, imaginative and a 100% dedicated scientist and a leader.
These two sides combine together and the result was, a phenomenal personality and a true leader, ...... Dr.Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam!!
The first autobiography I've read, and I really enjoyed it. Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is a source of infinite pride and inspiration for every aspiring youths and in particular , young scientists.
A really motivative book which gives us a glimpse of the two sides of a bright golden coin, one is Dr. Kalam as a fine , compassionate , humble, optimistic and a highly respectable human being, the other side, an extraordinarily skillful, imaginative and a 100% dedicated scientist and a leader.
These two sides combine together and the result was, a phenomenal personality and a true leader, ...... Dr.Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam!!
March 20, 2023
What you imagine, is what will transpire. What you believe is what you will achieve
Awe-inspiring !!
Awe-inspiring !!
June 27, 2012
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam's book, WINGS OF FIRE is more than an autobiography. Written with the main intention of bestowing clarity and vision to the Youth in general, Indian Youth in particular, the book is inter alia, a history of Indian rocket launching and defense research; and partly a work of sound philosophy that would inspire any Indian.
He has nowhere sought to preach in his book. But his ideas, conveyed vividly on a number of subjects would guide the Indian Youth.
Regarding Science he says: "I wonder why some people tend to see Science as something which takes man away from God. As I look at it, the path of science can always wind through the heart. For me, science has always been the path to spiritual enrichment and self-realization."
Referring to Prayer he says: "One of the important functions of prayer, I believe, is to act as a stimulus to creative ideas. Within the mind are all the resources required for successful living. Ideas are present in the consciousness, which when released and given scope to grow and take shape, can lead to successful events. God, our Creator, has stored within our minds and personalities, great potential strength and ability. Prayer helps us to tap and develop these powers."
Explaining his approach to work he says: "I have always been a religious person in the sense that I maintain a working partnership with God. I was aware that the best work required more ability than I possessed and therefore I needed help that only God could give me."
in the midst of the political 'leaders' who have done everything possible for them to divide the Indian people on the lines of castes, religions, languages, regions and classes,and are trying to perpetuate the differences, Dr. Abdul Kalam voices the need for the people to come together and work unitedly for nation-building.
Insisting on the ancient wisdom of maintaining equanimity and duty-consciousness, Dr. Abdul Kalam quotes an old poem:
For all your days prepare
And meet them ever alike
When you are the anvil, bear -
When you are the hammer, strike.
Becoming free from the vicious grip of the cunning politicians who have rigidly compartmentalized them in castes, religions,languages, classes and regions is the primary task of the Indian Youth. To achieve this, there cannot be a better source of inspiration and guidance to them than the words of Dr. Abdul Kalam spoken as a noble patriotic Indian, appealing for unity and hard work.
For Indian Youth, there are, of course, great challenges ahead to face; shrewd and deceptive enemies to tackle; tough deadlines to meet; deep-rooted conflicts to resolve; but here are sincere and truthful words of Dr. Abdul Kalam to guide them:
If you want to leave your foot-prints
On the sands of time
Do not drag your feet.
He has nowhere sought to preach in his book. But his ideas, conveyed vividly on a number of subjects would guide the Indian Youth.
Regarding Science he says: "I wonder why some people tend to see Science as something which takes man away from God. As I look at it, the path of science can always wind through the heart. For me, science has always been the path to spiritual enrichment and self-realization."
Referring to Prayer he says: "One of the important functions of prayer, I believe, is to act as a stimulus to creative ideas. Within the mind are all the resources required for successful living. Ideas are present in the consciousness, which when released and given scope to grow and take shape, can lead to successful events. God, our Creator, has stored within our minds and personalities, great potential strength and ability. Prayer helps us to tap and develop these powers."
Explaining his approach to work he says: "I have always been a religious person in the sense that I maintain a working partnership with God. I was aware that the best work required more ability than I possessed and therefore I needed help that only God could give me."
in the midst of the political 'leaders' who have done everything possible for them to divide the Indian people on the lines of castes, religions, languages, regions and classes,and are trying to perpetuate the differences, Dr. Abdul Kalam voices the need for the people to come together and work unitedly for nation-building.
Insisting on the ancient wisdom of maintaining equanimity and duty-consciousness, Dr. Abdul Kalam quotes an old poem:
For all your days prepare
And meet them ever alike
When you are the anvil, bear -
When you are the hammer, strike.
Becoming free from the vicious grip of the cunning politicians who have rigidly compartmentalized them in castes, religions,languages, classes and regions is the primary task of the Indian Youth. To achieve this, there cannot be a better source of inspiration and guidance to them than the words of Dr. Abdul Kalam spoken as a noble patriotic Indian, appealing for unity and hard work.
For Indian Youth, there are, of course, great challenges ahead to face; shrewd and deceptive enemies to tackle; tough deadlines to meet; deep-rooted conflicts to resolve; but here are sincere and truthful words of Dr. Abdul Kalam to guide them:
If you want to leave your foot-prints
On the sands of time
Do not drag your feet.
April 29, 2019
The infinite power lies within us. We are the captain of our soul and the master of our fate. Dr Klam has written his biography in a very fierce that can ignite the fire inside the belly of our youths. His inspiration to do something is really fantastic. He never dreamed of being the president of India. His simplicity and high thinking are unmatched.
His writings give us a message, this does not matter from where you start your journey the matter most is where you end your journey.
His writings give us a message, this does not matter from where you start your journey the matter most is where you end your journey.
February 23, 2022
Disclaimer: The rating and review is solely about this biography as a literary piece of work and not about Dr. Kalam. I didn't like this book; Dr. Kalam is still one of the most important personalities in field of Indian aerospace and someone I revere.
Let's begin with a personal story. In 2011, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam blessed Anshika's school with his presence. It was a program stretching from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and only students from and above IV grade were allowed coz others were too young to understand or contribute something. III grade Anshika cried herself to sleep for two nights.
I picked this book to makeup for that momentous day, to try to know Dr. Kalam the way my seniors did and I'm not impressed. I feel stupid even saying that phrase, as if Dr. Kalam needs to impress me or I'm good enough to rate and review his biography.
Nevertheless I'll speak because I promised myself to be honest in my reviews, honest to myself.
With all due respect, this felt more like a scientific journal, crammed with names and dates than a biography. It has pages and pages on end talking about aeronautics. Now, this might be really interesting for an engineering enthusiast but I, a biology student was bored to sleep quite literally, TWICE.
I picked the biography to know about the events, the people, predicaments that shaped Kalam, NOT to know how to assemble an aircraft and tbh I could read all his notes and still won't know. 75% of the book is just scientist's and engineer's names, the word SLV and various other scientific terms I don't care about.
Kalam's failures, family, neighbours, interpersonal relations with colleagues were just sprinkled here and there and that's the reason this even has 2 stars.
The other thing that bothered me was the complete absence of important National and global events. India's Independence, the WWII, Indo-Pak war, Indo-China war- these were just named in passing and that's it! I wanted to know his experience growing up and later heading an important governing body in such turmoil. So many wars, which I personally consider the most horrific events of history and no mention of it!? That's strange..
Imagine an influential and important gen Z write their life's story and not talk about CoVID.
To conclude, I'm sorry if I hurt someone's feeling with that rating but I've given my reasons. And know that I hold Dr. Kalam in very high esteem. It's just that this book, as a biography failed to show me his life.
February 23, 2022
Let's begin with a personal story. In 2011, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam blessed Anshika's school with his presence. It was a program stretching from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and only students from and above IV grade were allowed coz others were too young to understand or contribute something. III grade Anshika cried herself to sleep for two nights.
I picked this book to makeup for that momentous day, to try to know Dr. Kalam the way my seniors did and I'm not impressed. I feel stupid even saying that phrase, as if Dr. Kalam needs to impress me or I'm good enough to rate and review his biography.
Nevertheless I'll speak because I promised myself to be honest in my reviews, honest to myself.
With all due respect, this felt more like a scientific journal, crammed with names and dates than a biography. It has pages and pages on end talking about aeronautics. Now, this might be really interesting for an engineering enthusiast but I, a biology student was bored to sleep quite literally, TWICE.
I picked the biography to know about the events, the people, predicaments that shaped Kalam, NOT to know how to assemble an aircraft and tbh I could read all his notes and still won't know. 75% of the book is just scientist's and engineer's names, the word SLV and various other scientific terms I don't care about.
Kalam's failures, family, neighbours, interpersonal relations with colleagues were just sprinkled here and there and that's the reason this even has 2 stars.
The other thing that bothered me was the complete absence of important National and global events. India's Independence, the WWII, Indo-Pak war, Indo-China war- these were just named in passing and that's it! I wanted to know his experience growing up and later heading an important governing body in such turmoil. So many wars, which I personally consider the most horrific events of history and no mention of it!? That's strange..
Imagine an influential and important gen Z write their life's story and not talk about CoVID.
To conclude, I'm sorry if I hurt someone's feeling with that rating but I've given my reasons. And know that I hold Dr. Kalam in very high esteem. It's just that this book, as a biography failed to show me his life.
February 23, 2022
November 15, 2025
“We are all born with a divine fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this fire and fill the world with the glow of its goodness.”
APJ Abdul Kalam's autobiography, Wings of Fire, covers his early life as well as his role in Indian space research and missile programmes. It tells the narrative of a young boy from a poor family who rose through the ranks of Indian space research and missile programmes to become the country's president.
Despite the fact that this book is written by a scientist, there is very little scientific narrative in this book. SLVs, geo satellites, composite materials, mechanical engineering, and other related topics. The travel itself is prone to technical glitches, particularly when it is scientific in character. Like the man himself, Abdul Kalam forced his resolve to triumph despite setbacks, fears, and disappointments.
The book's central theme is the big Indian dream. Abdul Kalam realised a wish shared by all of the country's founding fathers. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's simple living and positive attitude became an inspiration for the Indian young, as this book reveals.
You might like to wander through a few artistic journals — they’re full of sparks and surprises.
APJ Abdul Kalam's autobiography, Wings of Fire, covers his early life as well as his role in Indian space research and missile programmes. It tells the narrative of a young boy from a poor family who rose through the ranks of Indian space research and missile programmes to become the country's president.
Despite the fact that this book is written by a scientist, there is very little scientific narrative in this book. SLVs, geo satellites, composite materials, mechanical engineering, and other related topics. The travel itself is prone to technical glitches, particularly when it is scientific in character. Like the man himself, Abdul Kalam forced his resolve to triumph despite setbacks, fears, and disappointments.
The book's central theme is the big Indian dream. Abdul Kalam realised a wish shared by all of the country's founding fathers. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's simple living and positive attitude became an inspiration for the Indian young, as this book reveals.
You might like to wander through a few artistic journals — they’re full of sparks and surprises.
May 22, 2021
All of us must have, once atleast, heard about our eleventh President and the respect associated with his name. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, a rocket scientist has added many stars of achievements to our country's pride. Being an agriculture-rich country, we were quite lagging in technical advancements until APJ Kalam has dedicatedly inovated some high-tech rockets and missiles, which secured us a position in technological advances. Like any other layman, i have also heard a lot about his achievements but were unaware about background and life in particular. I think there are many people out there, who doesn't know about his childhood, student-life and some family problems in detail. Thankfully, his autobiography serves the people and acknowledge them about his entire life in around one hundred and eighty pages. The reason i choose to pick up this book is only because of my curiousity to know about him in more depth. I wanted to know the story behind his massive popularity among young fellows and the one solid reason on which i could gauge his works.
Eager for one reason, i actually found many to consider the worth of his inovations and research. 'Wings of Fire' begins with the description of Kalam's early stay at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, one of the famous tourist place. The book is basically divided into three parts that is - Orientation, Creation and Propagation. Each part is targeted to cover a certain age group of Abdul Kalam. The first part mainly discusses about his childhood and education, how he was an avid reader and a sincere and hardworking srudent, who has done Bachelor in Physics before taking admission in the aeronautical engineering course. In the second part, he had broadly narrated his struggle for getting his dream job and the disappointments which came afterwards. His entry into ISRO and the rockets and hovercrafts which he aimed to create was also mentioned in this part.
A.P.J Abdul Kalam was a man of perspective and hope. Even after getting failed number of times in his missions, he somehow managed to keep himself poised and focused as he used to do. After persistent efforts and undisruptive resilience, he finally made his dreams true by creating the first ever SLV machine of India and later by launching five missiles of great efficiency. For this he also got honoured with India's Bharat Ratna and the third highest civilian award, Padma Bhusan. In the third part, which is also the culmination of his story, centers mainly on his advices and suggestions for the posterity in particular. For every young aspirants, he and his life is a complete inspiration, which everyone should sincerely learn from. Kalam was a great scientist and an utmost dedicated researcher who proved to be an assest for the entire country.
My Rating - 4.4/5
Eager for one reason, i actually found many to consider the worth of his inovations and research. 'Wings of Fire' begins with the description of Kalam's early stay at Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, one of the famous tourist place. The book is basically divided into three parts that is - Orientation, Creation and Propagation. Each part is targeted to cover a certain age group of Abdul Kalam. The first part mainly discusses about his childhood and education, how he was an avid reader and a sincere and hardworking srudent, who has done Bachelor in Physics before taking admission in the aeronautical engineering course. In the second part, he had broadly narrated his struggle for getting his dream job and the disappointments which came afterwards. His entry into ISRO and the rockets and hovercrafts which he aimed to create was also mentioned in this part.
A.P.J Abdul Kalam was a man of perspective and hope. Even after getting failed number of times in his missions, he somehow managed to keep himself poised and focused as he used to do. After persistent efforts and undisruptive resilience, he finally made his dreams true by creating the first ever SLV machine of India and later by launching five missiles of great efficiency. For this he also got honoured with India's Bharat Ratna and the third highest civilian award, Padma Bhusan. In the third part, which is also the culmination of his story, centers mainly on his advices and suggestions for the posterity in particular. For every young aspirants, he and his life is a complete inspiration, which everyone should sincerely learn from. Kalam was a great scientist and an utmost dedicated researcher who proved to be an assest for the entire country.
My Rating - 4.4/5
May 26, 2019
"If I had seen any further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants" said a 12th century being which suits synonymous to the story of Avul Pakir Jainulabdin Abdul Kalam who had become a giant himself in the domains of Indian Defense, Space Rocketry and Atomic Energy Research.
The Vicariously written autobiography didn't seem to find the light completely as the writer Arun Tiwari was involved full time in penning down the experiences of Dr. Kalam. The artificial flavors were revealed at several moments because of the writing of Tiwari. However, he couldn't be blamed as did his best as he could.
The Man was responsible project director for the first indigenous rocket of India - Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3), been the Director of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), established IGMDP to instigate many ambitious missile programmes and later became the president of India between 2002-07, been inspiring and motivating millions of young minds by his virtues and visions for the Nation. However, the book accounts the days he'd lived till late 90s that is upto his days in Missile Development programmes. I've to start the sequel very soon.
"My story—the story of the son of Jainulabdeen, who lived for over a hundred years on Mosque Street in Rameswaram island and died there; the story of a lad who sold newspapers to help his brother; the story of a pupil reared by Sivasubramania Iyer and Iyadurai Solomon; the story of a student taught by teachers like Pandalai; the story of an engineer spotted by MGK Menon and groomed by the legendary Prof. Sarabhai; the story of a scientist tested by failures and setbacks; the story of a leader supported by a large team of brilliant and dedicated professionals. This story will end with me, for I have no belongings in the worldly sense. I have acquired nothing, built nothing, possess nothing—no family, sons, daughters."
The Vicariously written autobiography didn't seem to find the light completely as the writer Arun Tiwari was involved full time in penning down the experiences of Dr. Kalam. The artificial flavors were revealed at several moments because of the writing of Tiwari. However, he couldn't be blamed as did his best as he could.
The Man was responsible project director for the first indigenous rocket of India - Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3), been the Director of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), established IGMDP to instigate many ambitious missile programmes and later became the president of India between 2002-07, been inspiring and motivating millions of young minds by his virtues and visions for the Nation. However, the book accounts the days he'd lived till late 90s that is upto his days in Missile Development programmes. I've to start the sequel very soon.
"My story—the story of the son of Jainulabdeen, who lived for over a hundred years on Mosque Street in Rameswaram island and died there; the story of a lad who sold newspapers to help his brother; the story of a pupil reared by Sivasubramania Iyer and Iyadurai Solomon; the story of a student taught by teachers like Pandalai; the story of an engineer spotted by MGK Menon and groomed by the legendary Prof. Sarabhai; the story of a scientist tested by failures and setbacks; the story of a leader supported by a large team of brilliant and dedicated professionals. This story will end with me, for I have no belongings in the worldly sense. I have acquired nothing, built nothing, possess nothing—no family, sons, daughters."
July 13, 2013
Simple, concise and inspiring. Highly recommended!
January 24, 2022
Every time I listen to this audiobook beautifully narrated by Girish Karnad, I get goosebumps. ♡
January 31, 2013
The man of resilience, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam's "Wings of fire" is out-and-out Inspirational book! One may find it full of all kind of aeronautic and missile stuffs but it is above all this...it is about the journey of a poor child living in an obscure place who, just by his intelligence and diligence, attains the highest place and becomes the President of the Nation!
The scientific and technical terms did beleaguer me but later on I made peace with them as familiarity grew!
There are number of things to learn from him! He has perfectly described the Role and work of a leader and also how one should do "communication" instead of "conversation"! His beautiful poems are like "Cherry on the Cake".
I'll recapitulate this review with just one poem-
God has not promised
Skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways
All our life through;
God has not promised
Sun without rain,
Joys without sorrow,
Peace without pain.
But God has promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the labour
Light for the way.
The scientific and technical terms did beleaguer me but later on I made peace with them as familiarity grew!
There are number of things to learn from him! He has perfectly described the Role and work of a leader and also how one should do "communication" instead of "conversation"! His beautiful poems are like "Cherry on the Cake".
I'll recapitulate this review with just one poem-
God has not promised
Skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways
All our life through;
God has not promised
Sun without rain,
Joys without sorrow,
Peace without pain.
But God has promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the labour
Light for the way.
Want to read
December 9, 2008
August 4, 2014
An autobiography of one the great aerospace scientist of India. I read this book in my teens and found this to be inspiring
July 20, 2022
This is the book I never wanna to get end. The story of the Life of a person who's your inspiration in life, will always drag You towards them even without Gravity. Dr. Kalam has given the best shot all through his life to get this country on the top among all developed nations. Technology that we have by now in military/defense forces was all of his efforts along with his Senior and Juniors and his parallel colleagues.
As he wrote in his book, why we always end up being the second or third nation to do something? Why not the First nation to achieve some thing?
He always dreamt of the India as a developed Country instead the developing one. Many countries tried to stop what we have now, but his efforts made us proudly stand in their ways and shut their mouth to accept the Truth.
In his own words from the book:
For all your days prepare
And meet them ever alike
When you are the anvil, bear –
When you are the hammer, strike.
For five years, between 1966 to 1971, about 22 scientists and engineers had worked closely with Prof. Sarabhai. All of them were later to take charge of important scientific projects. Not only was Prof. Sarabhai a great scientist, but also a great leader. I still remember him reviewing the bi-monthly progress of the design projects of SLV-3 in June 1970.
HE has written about Great Personalities of India, from Prof. Vikram Sarabhai to Dr. Brahm Prakash to Satish Dhawan, and Madhvan Nair & many more. In his own words, The profiles of these courageous people
will never be written about in any history book, but it is such silent people
on whose hard work generations thrive and nations progress.
The development of VSSC, ISRO, DRDL, DTD&P(air), RCI, etc. Its the time I wish if I would have lived with him in any manner, the time of development of IGMDP, SLV-3, Agni, Trishul, Nag, Akash, etc. All the scientific researches that we have by now, are the out come of Dr. Kalam's involved projects, some were of him being as part of it and rest were under his leadership. Nuclear test to Missile Launch, he made every imagination to take the face of reality.
Hats-off to this Great Personality who has given us the face of Powerful Nation of the World & to stand among rest of the nation only after VETO powered ones and at most of the places among them. The Person who believes in taking the responsibility for any failure that had happen and gave the credit of success to his team rather than himself.
Scholar who are relevant or connect to the field of Science in regard to Technology & Space, worship him here in India and adore in rest of the world.
This Story is not just for telling people about his life but to inspire the most for how we have to overcome the hurdles life given to each one of us.
As he wrote in his book, why we always end up being the second or third nation to do something? Why not the First nation to achieve some thing?
He always dreamt of the India as a developed Country instead the developing one. Many countries tried to stop what we have now, but his efforts made us proudly stand in their ways and shut their mouth to accept the Truth.
In his own words from the book:
For all your days prepare
And meet them ever alike
When you are the anvil, bear –
When you are the hammer, strike.
For five years, between 1966 to 1971, about 22 scientists and engineers had worked closely with Prof. Sarabhai. All of them were later to take charge of important scientific projects. Not only was Prof. Sarabhai a great scientist, but also a great leader. I still remember him reviewing the bi-monthly progress of the design projects of SLV-3 in June 1970.
HE has written about Great Personalities of India, from Prof. Vikram Sarabhai to Dr. Brahm Prakash to Satish Dhawan, and Madhvan Nair & many more. In his own words, The profiles of these courageous people
will never be written about in any history book, but it is such silent people
on whose hard work generations thrive and nations progress.
The development of VSSC, ISRO, DRDL, DTD&P(air), RCI, etc. Its the time I wish if I would have lived with him in any manner, the time of development of IGMDP, SLV-3, Agni, Trishul, Nag, Akash, etc. All the scientific researches that we have by now, are the out come of Dr. Kalam's involved projects, some were of him being as part of it and rest were under his leadership. Nuclear test to Missile Launch, he made every imagination to take the face of reality.
Hats-off to this Great Personality who has given us the face of Powerful Nation of the World & to stand among rest of the nation only after VETO powered ones and at most of the places among them. The Person who believes in taking the responsibility for any failure that had happen and gave the credit of success to his team rather than himself.
Scholar who are relevant or connect to the field of Science in regard to Technology & Space, worship him here in India and adore in rest of the world.
This Story is not just for telling people about his life but to inspire the most for how we have to overcome the hurdles life given to each one of us.
December 25, 2016
"We are all born with a divine fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this fire and fill the world with the glow of its goodness."
-From the book
This book is an autobiography of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. If I have to say there is no Indian in this world who don't know Dr. Kalam, I must not be mistaken. For those people who don't know this man, Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was a great scientist born in poor Indian family and goes to become president of India in his later part of life.
Work is his religion. He used to work 18 hours a day in his laboratory. Even in childhood, he worked as a paperboy to support his family. He dedicated his whole life to the upliftment of country. Had he wished he could have gone to foreign country and live a luxuries life. But he always see people of India as his own children. He emphasized on to build some of the indigenous machinery on rocket science field.
He was a scientist, poet, author, teacher, social worker, president and lot more. His work is widely appreciated across the world. For his excellence he was awarded with Bharat Ratna (highest Indian civilian award). He didn't married to anyone. At his death time, there was no one to claim his property. Even before dying, he was giving lecture to college students. Seeing that I have utmost respect for him.
The book beautifully described the life of Dr. Kalam in lucid language. The book contain some of the rare photos of Dr. Kalam. Word choice is excellent and pleasing to read. The book was published before the death of Dr. Kalam. So it would be nice of publisher, if they would add the death part of Dr. Kalam in the book on next edition.
His life is true inspiration for everyone. How he sacrificed all his life for country is not a cup of tea for all. He inspire the generation to come. True ratna of India. Salute to People's president.
July 12, 2013
"Wings of Fire"
an autobiographical venture by "The Missile Man of India" Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam transcends the confinements of this genre.It may well be viewed as an amalgamation of autobiography and a discourse on inspirational leadership and motivational guidance.Now on a personal front I have always kept my faith on the institution of self-cultivation and self-reliance.Standing on my experience(which I confess isn't that much time tested)I can say that may be there is an ethereal satisfaction on being a maverick but there certainly are moments when you do feel exhausted,drained mentally and emotionally.Those are the times when one craves for sources to draw much needed energy from.Literature has always provided me with that fountain of vigour.I would like to classify this book as one of those refuges for me.
It takes us on a journey of dreams,success,failure and more emphatically on a journey of hope.The protagonist did not come on this planet with a silver spoon in his mouth.The streak that differentiates him is the willingness to push through the atmosphere of negativity which is always eager to make it's presence felt.One rather shrouded point that I feel quite justifiably calls for attention is Mr.Kalam's idea of a real teacher.It amazes me to think how a personality of his caliber who later went on to adorn the most coveted post of the first citizen of world's largest democracy,counted his childhood acquaintance Jallaluddin,"a virtually illiterate man" as one of his most resourceful teachers.I think only humility and a comprehensive perception of wisdom in it's truest sense will be able to reason this out.
Now my personal admiration for this man harnesses me from saying anything that might offend the composition.But on a more practical note the detailed discourse on armament and weaponry might not be enjoyed by every other reader.Having said that there are enough elements which more than compensate for this draw back and cater to the test of readers of all age group.You may well take my word for it.
Last but not the least feathers on the crown are those captivating lines penned by both Mr.Kalam and other renowned poets.
Now if I am to put the gist in a nutshell the following excerpt would be in complete harmony with my gain form this literary marvel....
"Your willingness to use your own inner resources to invest in your life,especially your imagination,will bring you success.When you address a task from your own uniquely individual standpoint,you become a whole person."
an autobiographical venture by "The Missile Man of India" Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam transcends the confinements of this genre.It may well be viewed as an amalgamation of autobiography and a discourse on inspirational leadership and motivational guidance.Now on a personal front I have always kept my faith on the institution of self-cultivation and self-reliance.Standing on my experience(which I confess isn't that much time tested)I can say that may be there is an ethereal satisfaction on being a maverick but there certainly are moments when you do feel exhausted,drained mentally and emotionally.Those are the times when one craves for sources to draw much needed energy from.Literature has always provided me with that fountain of vigour.I would like to classify this book as one of those refuges for me.
It takes us on a journey of dreams,success,failure and more emphatically on a journey of hope.The protagonist did not come on this planet with a silver spoon in his mouth.The streak that differentiates him is the willingness to push through the atmosphere of negativity which is always eager to make it's presence felt.One rather shrouded point that I feel quite justifiably calls for attention is Mr.Kalam's idea of a real teacher.It amazes me to think how a personality of his caliber who later went on to adorn the most coveted post of the first citizen of world's largest democracy,counted his childhood acquaintance Jallaluddin,"a virtually illiterate man" as one of his most resourceful teachers.I think only humility and a comprehensive perception of wisdom in it's truest sense will be able to reason this out.
Now my personal admiration for this man harnesses me from saying anything that might offend the composition.But on a more practical note the detailed discourse on armament and weaponry might not be enjoyed by every other reader.Having said that there are enough elements which more than compensate for this draw back and cater to the test of readers of all age group.You may well take my word for it.
Last but not the least feathers on the crown are those captivating lines penned by both Mr.Kalam and other renowned poets.
Now if I am to put the gist in a nutshell the following excerpt would be in complete harmony with my gain form this literary marvel....
"Your willingness to use your own inner resources to invest in your life,especially your imagination,will bring you success.When you address a task from your own uniquely individual standpoint,you become a whole person."
March 30, 2016
খুব ধীরে ধীরে বইটি পড়েছি । অনুপ্রেরণার উক্তি, ঘটনা আর জ্ঞান এর প্রাচুর্য পূর্ণ সমষ্টি এই বই। নিরলস চেষ্টা, আগ্রহ, একাগ্রতা মানুষকে কোথায় নিয়ে যায় , মানুষ তা কল্পনা ও কি করতে পারে???
অবশ্যই পাঠ্যনীয়।
অবশ্যই পাঠ্যনীয়।
May 3, 2020
A sheer LEGEND!!!!
No wonder he is popularly known as "Missile Man of India" and "People's President"
Irrespective of soo many "downs" in his life, he has made impeccable breakthroughs in the field of Indian space and defense, thereby never giving immense power to those "downs" to dictate his future.
From his childhood, he always felt he has got a huge responsibility towards his society.
In this book, he pays a great tribute to all of those who stood by him throughout his journey- his family, teachers, colleagues, friends, his seniors, juniors, and many more.....
Sometimes, we fail to notice the most trivial things in life and how much importance a person gives to those things says a lot about his personality.
Eg: While his team on a visit to a place of missile flight trials; he narrates, "There was a beautiful bird sanctuary in Chandipur. I asked the engineers to design the test range without disturbing it "
Once again, in every above context, Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam sir has proved to be an icon to his own and his future generations.
I'm deeply touched by reading this book and strongly recommend everybody to read it!
No wonder he is popularly known as "Missile Man of India" and "People's President"
Irrespective of soo many "downs" in his life, he has made impeccable breakthroughs in the field of Indian space and defense, thereby never giving immense power to those "downs" to dictate his future.
From his childhood, he always felt he has got a huge responsibility towards his society.
In this book, he pays a great tribute to all of those who stood by him throughout his journey- his family, teachers, colleagues, friends, his seniors, juniors, and many more.....
Sometimes, we fail to notice the most trivial things in life and how much importance a person gives to those things says a lot about his personality.
Eg: While his team on a visit to a place of missile flight trials; he narrates, "There was a beautiful bird sanctuary in Chandipur. I asked the engineers to design the test range without disturbing it "
Once again, in every above context, Dr.A.P.J.Abdul Kalam sir has proved to be an icon to his own and his future generations.
I'm deeply touched by reading this book and strongly recommend everybody to read it!
August 10, 2020
My first book in Tamil ❤️ I never got to meet Mr. Kalam, but his life will always be a huge source of inspiration to me. In this book, he shares his journey starting from the streets of Rameshwaram to building the first Agni missile. Kalam's deep sense of gratitude towards all his loved ones is reflected in almost each and every page of this book. The way he describes his awe towards the likes of Mr. Vikram Sarabhai and Mr. Wernher von Braun is admirable and the way his team stuck through the failure of SLV-3 etc. is truly moving. I got to learn a lot about Indian Space Program and how much of hard work has gone into making India stand where it is today ❤️ Given it is 2020, I hope and pray even amidst all the chaos of Covid19 that his vision India 2020 will come true soon.
I highly recommend this book to every Indian!
PS: May this be a wonderful beginning for me to read more and more books in Indian languages 🙏🏽
I highly recommend this book to every Indian!
PS: May this be a wonderful beginning for me to read more and more books in Indian languages 🙏🏽
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July 5, 2025
I had read this a long time ago...
Wings of Fire is not just an autobiography but also an inspiring evidence to resilience and power of dreams.
The late President of India and a former scientist, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's journey from humble beginnings to the presidency of India is meticulously chronicled... It shows evidences of his unwavering dedication to education and scientific pursuit.
The book offers a fascinating glimpse into India's space and missile programs... highlighting the challenges and triumphs faced. Kalam's simple yet profound philosophy, emphasizing hard work, perseverance and integrity... they are deep.
It's a motivational read that encourages readers to overcome obstacles and strive for excellence. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking inspiration and a deeper understanding of a truly remarkable individual.
Wings of Fire is not just an autobiography but also an inspiring evidence to resilience and power of dreams.
The late President of India and a former scientist, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's journey from humble beginnings to the presidency of India is meticulously chronicled... It shows evidences of his unwavering dedication to education and scientific pursuit.
The book offers a fascinating glimpse into India's space and missile programs... highlighting the challenges and triumphs faced. Kalam's simple yet profound philosophy, emphasizing hard work, perseverance and integrity... they are deep.
It's a motivational read that encourages readers to overcome obstacles and strive for excellence. This book is essential reading for anyone seeking inspiration and a deeper understanding of a truly remarkable individual.
October 27, 2021
I would have given more stars if it was allowed.
Must read by every indian. The literature is so beautifully written that Even after reading a few pages you would realise that book is worth it. His autobiography is more about India than himself which also speaks volumes about his patriotism towards his own country. His autobiography is the epitome of Indian culture. I am going to assimilate this book through and through. Recommended my dad to listen to it's audiobook and he loved it so much that he completed it in just one day.
Must read by every indian. The literature is so beautifully written that Even after reading a few pages you would realise that book is worth it. His autobiography is more about India than himself which also speaks volumes about his patriotism towards his own country. His autobiography is the epitome of Indian culture. I am going to assimilate this book through and through. Recommended my dad to listen to it's audiobook and he loved it so much that he completed it in just one day.
December 5, 2020
An amazing book full of inspiration and life lessons. The author has fulfilled the objective of this book with the detailed and engaging content. The book leaves the readers with questions to ponder and ideas to implement.
February 3, 2015
Such humbleness yet firmness in hand and mind of a man who practically guided the development of Indian Missiles and Space Exploration Power. I didn't know any of what he had done, except that he had been the President of India. Apart from the poems he had written or the quotes he quoted, this book, as he says while coming to the end of the book, was just a bird's eye view of his life dedicated to study rocketry, BUT! It didn't feel so. He was like the most efficient feedback loop of the human mind ever. Even throwing a sufficient amount of jargon in it, the book wasn't repulsive at any point of time, which advances this book to my most quickly read book of all time.
The memoir goes through the difficulties (technological, organizational, personal) Kalam faced whence he was a boy. He establishes a very obvious fact, that no matter what, we are being taken care of and that every problem, is not anything but an opportunity to grow and evolve. A must read.
The memoir goes through the difficulties (technological, organizational, personal) Kalam faced whence he was a boy. He establishes a very obvious fact, that no matter what, we are being taken care of and that every problem, is not anything but an opportunity to grow and evolve. A must read.
February 7, 2017
An absolutely brilliant book.The book is a testament to the enormous talent available in our country.
The book is narrated by Kalam on his journey from a small village to becoming the mission director of missile program. Throughout the book Kalam gives example of leadership, work ethic and interpersonal skill. I am only sad that I read this book so late in my life. Its a must read for anyone who is disillusioned by the corporate dream or a progressing India. The book is a must read for every Indian. I am hope and pray this book becomes part of the curriculum in school and Engineering in India. We would benefit from it immensely. Drop everything and start reading this book.
The book is narrated by Kalam on his journey from a small village to becoming the mission director of missile program. Throughout the book Kalam gives example of leadership, work ethic and interpersonal skill. I am only sad that I read this book so late in my life. Its a must read for anyone who is disillusioned by the corporate dream or a progressing India. The book is a must read for every Indian. I am hope and pray this book becomes part of the curriculum in school and Engineering in India. We would benefit from it immensely. Drop everything and start reading this book.
February 27, 2014
In his book, Kalam has spoken less about himself and more about India's space research programs. He has also shared his thoughts on the relationship between science and god, project management, rocket science, etc. Very informative and thought provoking book.
December 5, 2019
Reread this like...how many times I can't remember 🙋
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