Kalam's 'My Journey' is ready to inspire

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's autobiographical book “My Journey : Transforming Dreams into Actions” is coming soon. Published by Rupa Publications in paperback, you can buy it for Rs.146.

In this book, Kalam talks about his journey in life. From a small boy growing up in Rameswaram, to becoming the country?s eleventh President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's life has been a tale of extraordinary determination, courage, perseverance and the desire to excel. So this book is a series of anecdotes and profiles. Dr Kalam looks back on key moments in his past 'some small and some momentous' and tells the reader how each of them inspired him profoundly.

With warmth and affection, he records his memories and talks about the people who left a deep impression on him as he was growing up and as an adult. He talks about the lessons he drew from his interactions with these people whom he met and lived with through his journey of life. He describes those who have been the closest to him – his father with his deep love of God, his mother and her great kindness, his mentors who helped shape his thoughts and outlook. The book contains many heart-warming accounts of his childhood years spent in a small town by the Bay of Bengal and the many struggles and sacrifices made on the path to becoming a scientist and then the President of India.

Readers can perhaps take lessons from the book since Kalam also records the times when failure and dejection nearly overtook him and how he prevailed over those obstacles and how he drew strength from books and spirituality.

Nostalgic, honest, and deeply personal, 'My Journey' is the story of a life as rich as it is unusual and the beautiful lessons to be learnt from it.