Born on 15th October 1931 at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, specialized in Aeronautical Engineering from Madras Institute of Technology. Dr. Kalam made significant contribution as Project Director to develop India's first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III) which successfully injected the Rohini satellite in the near earth orbit in July 1980 and made India an exclusive member of Space Club. He was responsible for the evolution of ISRO's launch vehicle programme, particularly the PSLV configuration. After working for two decades in ISRO and mastering launch vehicle technologies, Dr. Kalam took up the responsibility of developing Indigenous Guided Missiles at Defence Research and Development Organisation as the Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP). He was responsible for the development and operationalisation of AGNI and PRITHVI Missiles and for building indigenous capability in critical technologies through networking of multiple institutions. He was the Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development from July 1992 to December 1999. During this period he led to the weaponisation of strategic missile systems and the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in collaboration with Department of Atomic Energy, which made India a nuclear weapon State. He also gave thrust to self-reliance in defence systems by progressing multiple development tasks and mission projects such as Light Combat Aircraft.

Wings of Fire is an autography of APJ Abdul Kalam covering his early life and his work in Indian space research and missile programs. It is the story of a boy from a humble background who went on to become a key player in Indian space research/Indian missile programs and later became the president of India. The book has been very popular in India and has been translated into multiple languages. I recently picked up a copy and read it in a couple of days. It was very engaging initially, but tended to drag a bit towards the end with lot of technical details and procedural information of his space research and missile projects.

I loved the initial chapters of Wings of Fire since it gives a vivid picture of our country during 1930 – 1950s. Kalam was born in Rameswaram, a southern religious town in Tamilnadu. The initial chapters provides an interesting glimpse of religious harmony which existed before India’s partition, Kalam in younger years wanted to be an officer in air force, however he couldn’t clear the interview.

The book covers a lot of "behind the scene" information and technical details about India’s satellite and missile program (SLV-3, Prithvi, Agni, Thrisul, Akash and Nag). This might interest technically inclined readers but is sure to put off readers who bought the book to get to know Kalam or to know his principles/ideas. Space and missile programs are huge complex projects and managing them is extremely challenging. The book does give a glimpse of the participatory management technique adopted by Kalam, but at the same time it doesn’t go into details.Wings of fire covers Kalam’s personal life only briefly which is strange for an autobiography. For example, we don’t know why he decided to remain single or his activities outside space research (even though we can conclude in the end that he was married to science and technology). Through Wings of Fire, we come across some brilliant people who worked behind Indian space research  such as Vikram Sarabhai and Dr. Brahm Prakash. The book also contains about 24 photos and I found the ones from the early days of Indian space program very interesting. This alone is worth the price of the book!One of the things that stands out throughout the book is Kalam’s positive thinking. He held many high ranking positions in various organizations. Yet in the book he rarely mentions anything about lethargy/corruption of bureaucracy or politicians. The secret to his success seems to be his ability to ignore negative things around him. The book also gives a clue to his popularity in India. Kalam is a simple, secular, inspiring humanitarian.

My Rating: 7/10. I liked the initial chapters, but wasn’t much impressed by later chapters.

THE BOOK IS ABOUT KALAM RISE FROM HUMBLE CIRCUMSTANCES & HIS NARRATIVE OF INDIA'S STRIDES IN ROCKETRY & SPACE SCIENCE. THE BOOK IS NEATLY DIVIDED INTO FOUR SECTIONS - ORIENTATION, CREATION, PROPITIATION & CONTEMPLATION. THE BOOK DEDICATED TO HIS PARENTS BEGINS WITH 'MY MOTHER' - A POETIC TRIBUTE TO HIS MOTHER KALAM. 

The first section covers the early life of Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam. His memories of the early days are very reminiscent of good old magudi set up. The way he remembers his relatives, teachers who influenced him makes one wonder. Adding color to the section are the black and white pics of that time. This section covers all his education and early travels. 

The next section deals with Kalam's further trainings and his association with defense and space projects, mainly the SLV3. This section has too much scientific details and introduces you to a list of defense and space research establishments that you may have not even heard of. Just as he thanks his family and mentors in the first section here you find him thanking the stalwarts of Indian science like Prof Vikram sarabhai, Dr Brahm prakash, Prof Satish Dhawan. That Kalam is an aam aadmi at heart is proved by his many narratives involving his interaction with committed but insignificant people in the hierarchy.

The third section covers the years 80-91 when Kalam moves from ISRO to defence Labs. Here again like the previous section there are many black and white pictures where like the 70s hero, you find kalam in bell bottom pants . The book covers the story behind the names we have all heard, the SLV3, PSLV, Akaash, Naga, Agni, Trishul.

The last section deals with later years where Kalam is conferred with a list of awards, his contemplations, his visions for the country. There is a very touchy narration of how he visited a old teacher of his & the reunion of a pupil who went beyond teachers expectations. Its difficult not to be inspired by this life. The section along with epilogue also mentions of Kalams vision 2020 - of self reliance vision & technology vision. 

All through the book there are many lessons even for the managers as kalam narrates how the best out of people can be brought out. No politician reads a book these days, they cant write as they don't have vision. Kalam isn't a politician, as the media says he is a 'spiritual scientist', read his visions and contribute in every little ways to make it come true. I was expecting him to write why he didn't get married, the book doesn't say anything. Apparently he didn't have a personal life, it was a life totally well spent for science, for nation. Whatever I write its going to be insufficient revu on this book, it has to be read, it has to be experienced - and that happens only when you read and Kalam takes you through his journey, by hand.

Bharat Ratna|1997

Padma Bhushan|1981

Padma Vibhushan|1990

Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration|1997

IEEE Honorary Membership|2011

Hoover Medal|2009

Veer Savarkar Award|1998

Ramanujan Award |2000

International von Kármán Wings Award|2009

King Charles II Medal|2007

ISRO         -   PROJECT DIRECTORO   20YRS A.P.J.ABDUL KALAM WORKED HERE AS PROJECT DIRECTOR.O   INDIA’S FIRST SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE, SLV-3 (LAUNCHED ROHINI).O   SLVIII INJECTED THE ROHINI SATELLITE IN JULY 1980.O   THESE YEARS ARE VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN HIS LIFE OF SCIENTIST.O   HE PLAYED A CRUCIAL ROLE IN DEVELOPING SATELLITE LAUNCH VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY AND EXPERTISE IN CONTROL, PROPULSION AND AERODYNAMICS

  DRDO       -  DIRECTORO    IN 1982 HE JOINED HERE AS DIRECTOR OF DRDO.O   CHIEF EXECUTIVE IN  I.G.M.D.P (INTEGRATED GUIDED MISSILE  DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM)O    HE GET A CHANCE TO BE THE PART OF INDIA’S MISSILE PROGRAM (AGNI AND PRITHVI.)O    AGNI MET ITS MISSION REQUIREMENTS IN 1994.DRDO       -  CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISERO   CHIEF SCIENTIFIC ADVISER FOR PRIME MINISTER AND THE  SECRETARY OF DEFENCE RESEARCH AND  DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION.

   Pokhran-II nuclear tests taken  during the period of July 1992 - December  1999).Govt of India – Principal Scientific Adviser  o   In November 1999Govt of India – Presidento    Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, was the 11th President of Indiao    During the period of 2002 to 2007.o   He was elected during the tenure of the National Democratic Alliance (India) coalition government, under prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.o    He was popularly known as the People's President.JSS University – Professoro    The University is in Mysore.o    He has agreed to deliver a minimum of four lectures every year.IIM-A               -  Professoro    Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, one of the architects of the country's space programme and ex-President, will take sessions for students of Post Graduate Programme (PGP), Post Graduate Programme - Agri Business Management (PGP-ABM ), Public Management and Policy (PMP) and Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) from September 13.