Noble Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Government TV Channel DD Podhigai telecast an interview with Mr P M Nair retired IAS officer who was the secretary to Dr Kalam when he was the President. Mr Nair had authored a book titled "Kalam Effect" . This is what he narrated.

• "Dr Kalam used to receive costly gifts whenever he went as it is customary for many nations to give gifts to the visiting Head of state. Refusing the gift would become an insult to the nation and an embarrassment for India. So, he received them and on his return, Dr Kalam asked the gifts to be photographed and then catalogued and handed over to the archives. Afterwards, he never even looked at them. He did not take even a pencil from the gifts received when he left Rashtrapathi Bhavan."

• "In 2002, the year Dr Kalam took over, the Ramadan month came in July-August. it was a regular practice for the President to host an Iftar party. Dr Kalam asked Mr Nair why he should host a party to people who are already well fed and asked him to find out how much would be the cost. Mr Nair told it costs around Rs. 22 lakhs. Dr Kalam asked him to donate that amount to a few selected orphanages in the form of food, dresses and blankets. The selection of orphanages was left to a team in Rashtrapathi Bhavan and Dr Kalam had no role in it. After the selection was made, Dr Kalam asked Mr Nair to come inside his room and gave him a cheque for Rs 1 lakh. He said that he is giving some amount from his personal savings and this should not be informed to anyone. Mr Nair was so shocked that he said "sir, I will go outside and tell everyone . People should know that here is a man who not only donated what he should have spent but he is giving his own money also". Dr Kalam though he was a devout Muslim did not have Iftar parties in the years in which he was the President." 

• "Dr Kalam did not like "yes sir" type of people. Once when the Chief Justice of India had come and on some point Dr Kalam expressed his view and asked Mr Nair, "Do you agree?"/ Mr Nair said "No sir, i do not agree with you". The Chief Justice was shocked and could not believe his ears. It was impossible for a civil servant to disagree with the president and that too so openly. Mr Nair told him that the President would question him afterwards why he disagreed and if the reason was logical 99% he would change his mind.

• "Dr Kalam invited 50 of his relatives to come to Delhi and they all stayed in Rashtrapathi Bhavan. He organised a bus for them to go around the city which was paid for by him. No official car was used. All their stay and food was calculated as per the instructions of Dr Kalam and the bill came to Rs 2 lakhs which he paid. In the history of this country no one has done it. Now, wait for the climax, Dr Kalam's elder brother stayed with him in his room for the entire one week as Dr Kalam wanted his brother to stay with him. When they left, Dr Kalam wanted to pay rent for that room also. Imagine a President of country paying rent for the room in which he is staying. This was any way not agreed by the staff who thought the honesty was getting too much to handle !!!."

• "When President Kalam was to leave Rashtrapathi Bhavan at the end of the tenure, every staff member went and met him and paid their respects. Mr Nair went to him alone as his wife had fractured her leg and was bed ridden. Dr Kalam asked why his wife did not come. He replied that she was in bed due to an accident. next day, Nair saw lot of police men around his house and asked what had happened. They said that the President of India was coming to visit him in his house. He came and met his wife and chatted for some time. Mr Nair says that it is inconceivable that the President of any country would visit a civil servant's house and that too for such a simple reason."

Noble Dobri Dobrev

98 year old dobri dobrev, a man who lost his hearing in the second world war, walks 10 kilometers from his village in his homemade clothes and leather shoes to the city of sofia, where he spends the day begging for money.

though a well recognized fixture around several of the city’s chruches, known for his prostrations of thanks to all donors, it was only recently discovered that he has donated every penny he has collected — over 40,000 euros — towards the restoration of decaying bulgarian monasteries and churches and the utility bills of orphanages, living entirely off his monthly state pension of 80 euros and the kindness of others.

Dance Bars are back.

The Supreme court recently quashed the law passed by the state government of Maharashtra banning the operation of dance bars. Many hailed this verdict as a great economic boon as it will now bring in more than Rs 3000 Crores (US$ 550 Million) annual revenue to the state and provide jobs to 100,000 bar dancers, and another 90,000 allied jobs.

A question arises. Is this type of economic growth that is going to make us a better society? Would we like to see a daughter or sister in this profession?

Sure we want to reduce material poverty but does it have to be by impoverishing the character and spirit particularly of girls and young people? Bad things happen everywhere but civilized people and the government cannot be party to promoting such things.

True economic progress can only come from social progress, and true social progress can only come when women and families are treated with dignity. The building block of a society is the family. Wherever families are torn apart the fabric of society is greatly damaged and communities and even nations become dysfunctional.

Men may make houses, but women make homes. A house is just a cold lifeless structure and a home is a place filled with hope, joy, dignity and courage. The soul of our society is embedded in our womenfolk. 

Women should work and pursue careers only out of choice and not out of necessity. Necessity often leads to exploitation and misery of the weak.

What will be the fate of those children that come home to a no parent or single parent home? What sort of a mother or wife will a woman make who has been reduced to a thing and that too an undignified one?

It is said God has distributed his work to mothers. Generally wherever people have excelled there is inevitably the influence of a woman.
Traditional Indian teachings lay great emphasis on love and respect of women. It was taught that "The Gods dwell where the womenfolk are happy".


There is hope that wise and noble people in society will raise our consciousness and pave the way for justice for the weak and exploited  in our society as can be seen from the example of an Indonesian judge.


An Indonesian judge by the name of Marzuki was sitting in judgment of an old lady who pleaded guilty   of stealing some tapioca from a plantation. In her defense she admitted to the judge that she was indeed guilty of the crime because she was poor. and her son was sick while her grandchild was hungry.

The plantation manager insisted that she be punished as a deterrent to others.

The judge going through the facts and the documents then looked up and said to the old lady, "I'm sorry but I cannot make any exception to the law and you must be punished" The old lady was fined Rp 1 million (US$ 100) and was informed that if she could not pay the fine then she would be jailed for two and a half years as demanded by the law.

The old lady broke down and wept as she could not pay the fine.

The judge then took off his hat and put in Rp. 1 million and said "In the name of justice, I fine all who are present in this court Rp. 50,000 (US$ 5.50) each as dwellers of this city who have let a child starve until her grandmother has to steal to feed her grandchild. The registrar will now collect the fines from all present."

The court managed to collect Rp 3.5 million (US$ 350) including the fine collected from the plantation manager. After paying the fine  the balance money was handed over to the old lady.

Do not want to curse God.

Optimism, education, reasonable intelligence and hard work does not mean that problems do not come calling. A time came with disastrous consequences for me, when I lost almost everything. 

I took stock of my situation and concluded that I was financially broke but I was not poor. I was wealthy, for I had knowledge, experience, a friend in my loving wife, and a deep faith in God.  
Well there is only one thing to do, start rebuilding life afresh so I left India for Dubai. Almost everyone in Dubai has a story of problems, challenges, and sorrow behind them. It is a land of opportunity, like a beautiful woman but with a stone for a heart. 

I am a happy-go lucky type of person, therefore it's relatively easy for me to get along with people, at least for a while.  My extrovert nature helped me meet and interact with a lot of people and I was soon busy, though not always productively or profitably.

My bank manager Kannan and I soon became friends. I sought Kannan's advice on many things and he was more than ready to lend me his ear and offer advice and suggestions whenever he could spare the time.
Once Kannan introduced me to another client of the bank, believing that there were good business opportunities between both of his clients.
As things turned out the opportunity existed and we did do some business together. The volume of business was not much, but it was fairly profitable for the time and money involved.

I was living all by myself at that time and I longed to share my joy with someone. In addition I was happy and grateful, and I so wanted to show my appreciation to Kannan.
After much thought I decided to give him cash. So I put some cash (10% of the profit) in an envelope and I went to the bank.

Kannan and we chatted over tea for some time in his cabin. After I had finished my cup of tea, I placed the envelope in front of him.
Kannan raised his eyebrow and without touching the package asked me "What is this?"

I said, 'Thanks to your introduction I made some money and I wanted to share a little something with you."
He picked up the packet peeked into the contents and pushed it back to me; " I am sorry I can't take it. I only did my duty to assist my customers. I have grown fond of you, I wanted this to be an act of friendship. Do not spoil it by giving me anything especially money."

Kannan said, 
"Let me share something with you. Every day I pray.  
"God, do not deprive me and give me so little, that I curse you. I also beg you not to give me so much that I forget you."

He said that God seemed to hear and answer his prayers. He wished for nothing more.
Back and forth we pushed the envelope with the money. Finally he relented and put the envelope in his drawer.

A few days later I went to the bank for some work. As usual I went to meet Kannan. We chatted for a few minutes and then he asked me, "Have you checked your bank statement?"
"No" I replied.

Kannan said, "You insisted on giving me the money and I was unable to convince you, so I took the money you gave me and I deposited the money back into your account."
"Please do not do anything silly and come around with another packet, now or ever. My joy comes from doing good for you"

I felt blessed to meet so noble and wonderful man.

He was soon thereafter transferred to another branch rather far away and we lost touch. I tried to contact him for a long time, but learnt that he had taken up a job somewhere else. I pray that I meet him again sometime soon.