Even as Abdul Kalam purveyed the skies with ‘wings of fire,’ he had his feet firmly rooted on ground, in Thiruvananthapuram, the adopted home as a space scientist.
Former President ‘missile man’ Kalam had spent more than 20 years of his professional life as scientist with ISRO in the Kerala capital.
A man of simple tastes and high thinking, the brotherly affection he had for the owner of a small-time eatery he patronised during his stay here is part of folklore.
So much so, on his visits to the city, President Kalam would send word for Parameshwaran Nair of the Sreeguruvayoorappan Hotel here to Raj Bhavan to talk pleasantries.
While working with the ISRO facility at Thumba near here (Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre), he stayed at a non-descript lodging house, walking distance away from the hotel.
Parameshwaran Nair's family vividly recalls the ‘unearthly hours’ during the nights when ‘Kalam Sir’ would call in for his frugal night meals.
ENDEARING PRESENCE
He had the looks of a genius but was sprightly in the way he conducted himself; brisk with his movements; spoke less, if at all; but wore a disarming smile, says the family.
During the middle of a conversation, one would occasionally find him lost in thought even while retaining eye-to-eye contact.
But he would collect himself, profusely seek apologies ‘for straying a bit’ and gladly pick up from where he had ended.
“His was such endearing presence. I knew he would go on to become a great man.”
Back home at the VSSC, he had evinced keen interest in the way the ‘indigenous space shuttle’ or the Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV), a prestigious project, was taking shape.
‘SPACE SHUTTLE’
Even as recently as three months ago when he visited the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, a deemed university at Valiamala near here of which he is the Chancellor, he had checked with the RLV progress.
He was visibly excited to have been told that the space shuttle would be ready for launch by September or October.
The then VSSC director, MC Dathan, had sought his presence during the time of the launch which he had readily agreed, sources at the centre recall.
The launch would have been the VSSC’s way of giving back to Kalam who had inspired it to ‘dream big’ and take up not just the launch of the RLV but also make a success of the proposed human space flight mission.