Former President APJ Abdul Kalam is no more.

An unexpected end of a great citizen of India, former President Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, came this evening, July 27, 2015, when during a lecture to IIM, Shillong students he collapsed. The doctors tried to revive the ever alert Kalam, but couldn't. He breathed his last at 7.45 pm.

A rare personality in science, art, music, literature and politics, Dr. Kalam raised the bar of fair administration and honesty in public life so high that a very few can reach that. ...India lost one of her ablest sons.

Staying in Hyderabad and with a profession in science I had a rare opportunity to talk to this great man for more than 10 minutes when he visited our laboratory, National Geophysical Rsearch Institute, Hyderabad to deliver our 'Fundation Day Lecture' before he became the President and received 'Bharat Ratna'. Atal Behari Bajpai takes the credit for awarding both these honours to this Missile Man.

He made us proud by remaining 'a clean politician' till his last breath. He lived in a modest house in Rameswaram and never forgot his 'Iyer sir' who had put him into the cosmic orbit.

The country shall never forget his contribution and his great spirit shall guide the countrymen for the generations to come. May his soul rest in peace.