A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Quotes (43 quotes)

Karthick S (18 June 2012). "Abdul Kalam not to contest presidential poll 2012". The Times of India: Kalam's message to public upon denying to contest Presidential poll 2012.

“We must think and act like a nation of a billion people and not like that of a million people. Dream, dream, dream!”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Source: Eternal quest: life & times of Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (2002), p. 64.

“I am really overwhelmed. Everywhere both in Internet and in other media, I have been asked for a message. I was thinking what message I can give to the people of the country at this juncture.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Source: Rediff.com News, June 13, 2002 ([http://www.rediff.com/news/2002/jun/13prez2.htm online): Kalam responding to the announcement of his candidature by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

“My impression of the American people can be summarized by a quotation from Benjamin Franklin, "Those things that hurt instruct!" I realised that people in this part of the world meet their problems head on. They attempt to get out of them rather than suffer them.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 38.

“Most people: they take birth. Earn a living, and, then, they die. Never follow them.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Quotes

“I inherited honesty and self-discipline from my father; from my mother, I inherited faith in goodness and deep kindness as did my three brothers and sisters.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 8.

Faith , Sister

“No religion has mandated killing others as a requirement for its sustenance or promotion.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

In: Philosophy & Social Action (2003)

Religion

“I never used any outside influence to advance my career. All I had was the inner urge to seek more within myself. The key to my motivation has always been to look at how far I had still to go rather than how far I had come.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 140.

Motivation

“This is my belief: that through difficulties and problems God gives us the opportunity to grow. So when your hopes and dreams and goals are dashed, search among the wreckage, you may find a golden opportunity hidden in the ruins.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 140.

God , Dreams , Hope , Search

“To me, the level of responsibility is measured by one's ability to confront the decision-making process without any delay or distraction.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 96.

Decision

“This will be the greatest legacy that we can proudly leave behind for our next generation, let us sacrifice our today so that our children can have a better tomorrow.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

In: Philosophy & Social Action (2003)

Children

“Total commitment is the common denominator among all successful men and women.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 90.

Women , Men , Success

“We will be remembered only if we give to our younger generation a prosperous and safe India, resulting out of economic prosperity coupled with civilizational heritage.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

India. Parliament. House of the People (2003) Lok Sabha Debates. p. 45.

“I was (and am) a terrible conversationist but consider myself a good communicator.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 76.

Communication

“To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal. Individuals like myself are often called 'workaholics'. I question this term because that implies a pathological condition or an illness. If I do what I desire more than anything else in the world and which makes me happy, such work can never be an aberration.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 89.

World , Question , Happiness

“I have used the word 'flow' at many places without really elaborating its meaning. What is this flow? And what are these joys? I could call them moments of magic. I see an anology between these moments and the high that you experience when you play badminton or go jogging. Flow is a sensation we experience when we act with total involvement. During flow, action follows action according to an internal logic that seems to need no conscious intervention on the part of the worker. There is no hurry, there are no distracting demands on one's attention. The past and the future disappear. So does the distinction between self and the activity.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 91.

Past , Future , Joy , Parting

“Climbing to the top demands strength, whether to the top of Mount Everest or to the top of your career.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 90.

“If we are not free, no one will respect us.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Source: APJ Abdul Kalam (2002), p. 39.

“One of the important functions of prayer, I believe, is to act as a stimulus to creative ideas. Within the mind are all the resources required for successful living. Ideas are present in the consciousness, which when released and given scope to grow and take shape, can lead to successful events. God, our Creator, has stored within our minds and personalities, great potential strength and ability. Prayer helps to tap and develop these powers.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 32.

God , Idea , Success , Help

“Thinking should become your capital asset, whatever ups and downs you may come across in your life.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Quotations by 60 Greatest Indians, Dhirubhai Ambani Institute of Information and Communication Technology http://resourcecentre.daiict.ac.in/eresources/iresources/quotations.html,

Life , Thinking

“Perhaps the main motive behind my isolation was my desire to escape from the demands of relationships, which I consider very difficult in comparison to making rockets. All I desired was to be true to my way of life, to uphold the science of rocketry in my country and to retire with a clean conscience.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 121.

Life , Way , Motivation , Science

“A person with belief never grovels before anyone, whining and whimpering that it's all too much, that he lacks support, that he is being treated unfairly. Instead, such a person tackes problems head on and then affirms, 'As a child of God, I am greater than anything that can happen to me.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 135 or p. 136 in certain university press editions.

God , Support , Problem , Personality

“I have always been a religious person in the sense that I maintain a working partnership with God. I was aware that the best work required more ability than I possessed and therefore I needed help that only God could give me. I made a true estimate of my own ability, then raised it by 50 per cent and put myself in God's hands. In this partnership, I have always received all the power I needed, and in fact have actually felt it flowing through me. Today, I can affirm that the kingdom of God is within you in the form of this power, to help achieve your goals and realise your dreams.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 49.

God , Dreams , Sense , Help

“Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire p. 90.

Success

“I have always considered the price of perfection prohibitive and allowed mistakes as a part of the learning process. I prefer a dash of daring and persistence to perfection. I have always supported learning on the part of my team members by paying vigilant attention to each of their attempts, be they successful or unsuccessful.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 58.

Support , Learning , Success , Parting

“My school was a happy place. All of us who started our schooling there completed our studies till the eighth standard. I don't remember even a single person dropping out. These days, when i visit schools, both big and small, all across the country, i tell them that true quality does not come from a great building or great facilities or great advertisements. It happens when education is imparted with love by great teachers.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions

Love , Education , School , Study

“I often read Khalil Gibran, and always find his words full of wisdom. "Bread baked without love is a bitter bread that feeds but half a man's hunger"—those who cannot work with their hearts achieve but a hollow, half-hearted success that breeds bitterness all around. If you are a writer who would secretly prefer to be a lawyer or a doctor, your written words will feed but half the hunger of your readers; if you are a teacher who would rather be a businessman, your instructions will meet but half the need for knowledge of your students; if you are a scientist who hates science, your performance will satisfy but half the needs of your mission.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 45.

Love , Wisdom , Hunger , Hate

“Great dreams of great dreamers are always transcended.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

Source: Wings of Fire, p. 161.

Dreams

“If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Arvind Gupta, Mukul Chaturvedi, Akshay Joshi (2004) Security and Diplomacy: Essential Documents. p. 144.

Family , Teachers' Day , Beauty , Feeling

“To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal. Individuals like myself are often called 'workaholics.'”

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam book Wings of Fire

I question this term because that implies a pathological condition or an illness. If I do what I desire more than anything else in the world and which makes me happy, such work can never be an aberration.

p. 89
Wings of Fire