2011
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BOOK REVIEW ‘WINGS OF FIRE’ by APJ Abdul Kalam with Arun Tiwari
Reviewed by Shini Choubey
In this book he tells us the story of a Muslim boy, who had big dreams about his future and what inspired him to become an eminent scientist. The narration is simple, direct and shows how a boy with humble background from a remote corner of India could dream of aeronautics, rocket science and missiles. In this book he touches so many things like his family and the cordial relationship between Hindus and Muslims.
WINGS OF FIRE is the narration of a journey Abdul Kalam took as a small village child overcoming all the odds and hurdles and became the first citizen of India. The book contains antidotes from life of Abdul Kalam. Especially the incident from the childhood when Abdul Kalam was invited to have lunch with his Hindu school teacher and transformation in behaviour of the teacher’s orthodox wife towards the little Kalam is very moving. Similarly in an incident when defence minister arranged helicopter for scientist Kalam to attend his niece’s marriage at a village in Tamil nadu is very touching. It also inspires the reader of the book to excel in their own field to get recognition. The book also reveals the Abdul kalam’s as a leader and his capability of working as a team member which otherwise would not have been known. The narration is simple and technical terms and their meanings are explained for understanding of common reader. The book besides autobiography is a chronologue of development of India’s space mission. His description of the people, who shaped his life, interweaving religion and education, is a charming part of the book that almost nobody would miss reading. The part which I didn’t like in the story is that when he was in primary school, in class he was sitting on the first bench beside the son of a Pandit waiting for his teacher to arrive. As soon as the teacher arrived he made