“When you look at the light bulb above you, you remember Thomas Alva Edison. When the telephone bell rings, you remember Alexander Graham Bell. Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize. When you see the blue sky, you think of Sir C.V. Raman.”

Indian aerospace engineer and science administrator

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was an Indian aerospace engineer and science administrator who served as president of India from 2002 to 2007. He is remembered for his role in public life and for his work in science and defence technology. In 1997, he received the Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, for his contribution to scientific research and the modernisation of defence technology in India. His public voice often reflected his work in science, service, and national development.