Learning From Other Countries:

by A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Y.S. Rajan

India has never been averse to welcoming ideas and people from outside. Over the years it has assimilated many ideas, cultures, technologies—after shaping them to suit its genius and its environment. However, somehwere down the line, in our long history, we appear to have lost faith in ourselves. Moreover, we haven't yet become bold enough to set a ccourse of our own.In such a case, it is good to hear and see what other countries have done, and are doing—although, the conclusions regarding what is good for our country are to be shaped by our people. With this in mind, we should look at how other countries like USA, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and a few European countries have generated vision documents of their own. In Learning From Other Countries, APJ Abdul Kalam and YS Rajan highlight the importance of getting inspiration from other developed countries in order to walk the path of development ourselves. Read on.

45 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 30, 2018

About the author

Avul 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.