Former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam speaks about his school and college life, of what inspired him to become as scientist and how it helped him..
SCHOOL LIFE
Bird story and my profession I was studying in 5th class at the age of 10. I had a teacher, Shri Siva Subramania Iyer. All of us loved to attend his class and hear him. One day he was teaching about bird’s flight. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard depicting the wings, tail and the body structure with the head. He explained how the birds create the lift and fly. He also explained to us how they change direction while flying. Nearly 25 minutes he gave the lecture with various information such as lift, drag, how the birds fly in a formation of 10, 20 or 30 etc. At the end of the class, he wanted to know whether we understood how the birds fly. I said, I did not understand how the birds fly. When I said this, he asked the other students whether they understood or not. Many students said that they did not understand. Our teacher was a real teacher and very good teacher. He did not get upset by our response.
In view of this, my teacher said that he would take all of us to the sea shore. That evening the whole class was in the sea shore. We saw the wings being flapped. He asked us to look at the tail portion with the combination of flapping wing and twisting tail. We noticed closely and found that the birds in that condition flew in the direction they wanted. Then he asked us a question, where the engine is and how it is powered. Bird is powered by its own life and the motivation what it wants. All these things were explained to us within 15 minutes. We all understood the whole bird dynamics with practical example. He could give as a theoretical lesson coupled with a live practical example. This is real teaching. I am sure, many of the teachers in schools and colleges will follow this example.
For me, it was not merely an understanding of how a bird flies. The bird’s flight entered not me and created a feeling on the seashore of Rameswaram. From that day evening, I thought that my future study has to be with reference to flight and flight sciences. I am telling this because my teacher’s teaching and the event that I witnessed decided my future career. Then one evening after the classes, I asked the teacher, “Sir, please tell me, how to progress further in learning flight sciences.” He patiently explained to me that I should complete 8th class, and then I should go to college that may lead to education of flight. If I do all these things I might do something connected with flight sciencse.
COLLEGE LIFE
When I went to college, I took Physics. When I went to engineering in Madras Institute of Technology, I took Aeronautical Engineering.
Thus my life was transformed as a rocket engineer, aerospace engineer and technologist.
That one incident of my teacher encouraging me to ask questions, showing the visual live exampled proved to be a turning point in my life which eventually shaped my profession. Now let me narrate my experience with my teacher Prof Thothatri Iyenger in St. Joseph college, Tiruchirappalli.
Prof Thothatri Iyenger The great personality was, Prof Thothatri Iyenger, our teacher. At that time, ‘Calculus Srinivasan who was my mathematics teacher, used to talk about Prof Thothatri Iyenger with deep respect. When we were in the B.Sc first year, Calculus Srinivasan used to select top ten students to the Mathematics Club of St. Joseph’s, whom were addressed by Prof Thothatri Iyenger. I still remember, in 1952, he gave a masterly lecture on ancient mathematicians and astronomers of India. In that lecture, he introduced four great mathematicians and astronomers of India, which is still ringing in my ears. They are Aryabhata, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Brahmagupta, Bhaskaracharya. Let me discuss one.
Prof Thothatri Iyenger explained, base on his analysis, that Aryabhata was both an astronomer and mathematician, born in 476 AD in Kusuma-pura (now called Patna). He was known to represent a summary of all Maths at the point of time. Just when he was only 23 years old, he wrote his book ARYABHATIYAM in two parts.
He covered important areas like arithmetic, algebra (first ever contributor), trigonometry and of course, astronomy. He gave formulae for the areas of a triangle and a circle and attempted to give the volumes of a sphere and a pyramid.
He was the first to give value of pie. He discovered that the earth takes about 365 days to orbit around the sun.
Prof Thothatri Iyenger always puts the student to take a pride in India’s contribution in astronomy and mathematics and puts the students ahead. This great teacher combined his knowledge of science with his deep insight into many aspects of our civilizational heritage.
Having discussed about my teacher, I would like share with you what all of you should carry when you finish school or college.
Bird story and my profession I was studying in 5th class at the age of 10. I had a teacher, Shri Siva Subramania Iyer. All of us loved to attend his class and hear him. One day he was teaching about bird’s flight. He drew a diagram of a bird on the blackboard depicting the wings, tail and the body structure with the head. He explained how the birds create the lift and fly. He also explained to us how they change direction while flying. Nearly 25 minutes he gave the lecture with various information such as lift, drag, how the birds fly in a formation of 10, 20 or 30 etc. At the end of the class, he wanted to know whether we understood how the birds fly. I said, I did not understand how the birds fly. When I said this, he asked the other students whether they understood or not. Many students said that they did not understand. Our teacher was a real teacher and very good teacher. He did not get upset by our response.
In view of this, my teacher said that he would take all of us to the sea shore. That evening the whole class was in the sea shore. We saw the wings being flapped. He asked us to look at the tail portion with the combination of flapping wing and twisting tail. We noticed closely and found that the birds in that condition flew in the direction they wanted. Then he asked us a question, where the engine is and how it is powered. Bird is powered by its own life and the motivation what it wants. All these things were explained to us within 15 minutes. We all understood the whole bird dynamics with practical example. He could give as a theoretical lesson coupled with a live practical example. This is real teaching. I am sure, many of the teachers in schools and colleges will follow this example.
For me, it was not merely an understanding of how a bird flies. The bird’s flight entered not me and created a feeling on the seashore of Rameswaram. From that day evening, I thought that my future study has to be with reference to flight and flight sciences. I am telling this because my teacher’s teaching and the event that I witnessed decided my future career. Then one evening after the classes, I asked the teacher, “Sir, please tell me, how to progress further in learning flight sciences.” He patiently explained to me that I should complete 8th class, and then I should go to college that may lead to education of flight. If I do all these things I might do something connected with flight sciencse.
COLLEGE LIFE
When I went to college, I took Physics. When I went to engineering in Madras Institute of Technology, I took Aeronautical Engineering.
Thus my life was transformed as a rocket engineer, aerospace engineer and technologist.
That one incident of my teacher encouraging me to ask questions, showing the visual live exampled proved to be a turning point in my life which eventually shaped my profession. Now let me narrate my experience with my teacher Prof Thothatri Iyenger in St. Joseph college, Tiruchirappalli.
Prof Thothatri Iyenger The great personality was, Prof Thothatri Iyenger, our teacher. At that time, ‘Calculus Srinivasan who was my mathematics teacher, used to talk about Prof Thothatri Iyenger with deep respect. When we were in the B.Sc first year, Calculus Srinivasan used to select top ten students to the Mathematics Club of St. Joseph’s, whom were addressed by Prof Thothatri Iyenger. I still remember, in 1952, he gave a masterly lecture on ancient mathematicians and astronomers of India. In that lecture, he introduced four great mathematicians and astronomers of India, which is still ringing in my ears. They are Aryabhata, Srinivasa Ramanujan, Brahmagupta, Bhaskaracharya. Let me discuss one.
Prof Thothatri Iyenger explained, base on his analysis, that Aryabhata was both an astronomer and mathematician, born in 476 AD in Kusuma-pura (now called Patna). He was known to represent a summary of all Maths at the point of time. Just when he was only 23 years old, he wrote his book ARYABHATIYAM in two parts.
He covered important areas like arithmetic, algebra (first ever contributor), trigonometry and of course, astronomy. He gave formulae for the areas of a triangle and a circle and attempted to give the volumes of a sphere and a pyramid.
He was the first to give value of pie. He discovered that the earth takes about 365 days to orbit around the sun.
Prof Thothatri Iyenger always puts the student to take a pride in India’s contribution in astronomy and mathematics and puts the students ahead. This great teacher combined his knowledge of science with his deep insight into many aspects of our civilizational heritage.
Having discussed about my teacher, I would like share with you what all of you should carry when you finish school or college.
