The man of integrity, Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam

(The review and application of biography of Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam in respect to Motivation,Value, Ethics))

Introduction

It is rare to be born as a human being,
It is still rarer to be born without any deformity.
Even if you are born without any deformity,
It is rare to acquire knowledge and education.
Even if one could acquire knowledge and education,
It is still rare to offer service to the mankind and contemplate on the higher self.
If one leads such a selfless divine life,
The gates of heaven open to greet such an evolved soul.”

This one of the poems that Dr.Kalam gifted to the people.  He is one of the such a leaders who is the philosopher, machinery, the great scientist “Missile man of India people’s the President”, the personality of value, ethics and morals, the course  MOVE II gave an opportunity to us to read the biographies of the leaders and find out the MOVE and apply that in our life.

Background

On 15^th October 1931 in the mosque street of Rameshwram one of the sacred place of India, in the middle class Tamil Muslim family, in an ancestor’s house,  a boy born, father is Jainulabdeen who is not much educated and mother is Ashiamma, who fed every day to others without any discrimination. In childhood he was the boy among many children but now he is the great asset or personality of the country whom all the children of the nation loves. He started his study with local primary school and he has completed his High school at Ramanathapuram, after completing BSC from St. Joseph’s college Trichy After completing his BSc from St. Joseph’s college Trichy, he joined the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT), for studying Aeronautical Engineering.  From MIT, he went to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at Bangalore as a trainee, later he worked in DRDO in the year 1958 and joined ISRO in 1963. “Missile Man of India” was the Project Director of India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-III). He played an important role in India’s Pokhran-II nuclear test in 1998, the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974, he is non-other than APJ. Abdul Kalam.

Motivation

A person’s motivation is came from many forces, sometime from the genetice inheritance, sometimes from the external factors. Like in case of Dr. APJ Abdul kalam also, he has got motivation in his life from the different people from his life.

There are five steps in motivation one of the steps of the motivation, the first on is Awareness, It starts from his family, he born in a cultured family and his father and mother are kind hearted and they are economically not rich but they are rich by heart, this motivates him to live with the people without any discrimination and he himself initiates the action that desire of to do something.

Desired change

In his child hood his relative Ahmed Jallaluddin and his cousin Samsuddin influenced to him to build the desired change in his life, Jalaluddin was 15 years older than him still he was a good friend of him and they both mainly talked about the spiritual things and that motivates to shape the boy as a spiritual minded with his father’s spiritual thinking, the another person Samsuddin, he was the news pare seller, Abdul Kalam learnt from him to become an independent so, he started to sell news pare with him. These all influence the person’s life desirable change.

Role model

In case of Dr. Abdul Kalam he did not mention particularly one person that who is hi role model but throughout his autobiography he mentioned his parents, his relative and his cousin and later the person like Vikram Sarabhai all his models or motivators.

Action

The next step of the motivation is action, here when Abdul Kalam started his hi schooling he did not have much idea about where to go what to do, but when he joined his high school there his teacher guided him and later also he went to outside of his native then he  got the idea about where he has to go, later he jumped into the sector were he wants but it is all about his motivation and action according to it.

Reinforcement

Here the reinforcement or reward is now who is he and what is he? He is a scientist and president and one of the role model of the nation. In life what all are ups and down came in his life then that time he remembered his relative Jalluddin and his fried always, for example once Jalaluddin died then his father motivates him, when his father died he himself motivated by the given words of Jalaluddin.

Following are the motivation and it shows from where he has got

• Achievement motivation– parents, (desire, belief, and expectation)
• Affiliation motivation– Childhood friends, Prof. Sarabhai, Prof Brahm Prakash
• Influence motivation– As a scientist and as president of India
• Control motivation– after failure of Agni-I missile test failure
• Extension motivation– MGK Menon, Prof. Sarabhai, large team of brilliant and dedicated professionals
• Dependence motivation– Prof Sarabhai, Satish Dhawan (Senior scientists at ISRO)

Values

Values are those which are leads to the person to follow certain Values are the rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong, should and shouldn’t, good and bad. They also tell us which are more or less important, which is useful when we have to trade off meeting one value over another.

In other words values are beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment (either for or against something); “he has very conservatives values”

There are certain instrumental values which we can apply in our life from the in case of Dr.Abdul Kalam

• Ambitious (hardworking aspiring) : Since child hood we can see that he is a hard worker and later he works 18 hours a day, it shows that how much he is ambitious
• Broad-Minded (open minded) : Scientists are always broad minded and they always think about the inventions, innovative idea
• Capable (competent, effective): Abdul Kalam is able manage his professional life as well as his personal life means, in his work station he is effective himself and with his team.
• Cheerful (light-hearted, joyful) : In the 80 years old age also he is always seems cheerful, once we see him we will get the motivation like joyful
• Clean (neat, tidy) : From his personal life to professional, house to work station with the public he is always a clean, neat personality

Courageous (standing up for your beliefs) : Abdu Kalam is himself courageous and a man of integrity , by his quotation  “If you want to shine like a sun, first burn like a sun”, “ What actions are most excellent?

To gladden the heart of a human being, to feed the hungry, to help the affected, to lighten the sorrow of the sorrow full and remove the wrongs of injured.

• Forgiving (willing to pardon others)
• Helpful (working for the welfare of others)
• Honest (sincere, truthful)
• Imaginative (during creative) : he is a scientist so, this quality is with him always.
• Independent (self-reliant self-sufficient) : Since his child hood he started to earn by selling newspaper, it shows that he is an independent.
• Intellectual (intelligent, reflective)
• Logical (consistent, rational)

“I inherited honesty and self-discipline from my father and from my mother, I inherited faith in goodness and deep kindness from sisters & brothers”

• Practicing vegetarianism
• Patriotism
• Secularism

The above sentence of the DR.Kalam explains that the following all values he has and he is following in his life.

• Loving (affectionate, tender)
• Obedient (dutiful respectful)
• Polite (courteous well-mannered)
• Responsible (dependable, reliable)
• Self-controlled (restrained, self- disciplined)

As above there are certain terminal values which we could apply in from the Dr.Kalam’s life

• A comfortable life (a prosperous life) : He prefers simple lifestyle and he is comfortable with that
• A sense of accomplishment (lasting contribution): He contributed his life for the nation
• A world at peace (free of war and conflict) : He always avoid conflict, sometimes while working in the office with satellite he faced many criticism still he is able to manage it.
• A World at Beauty (beauty of nature and the arts)
• Equality (brotherhood equal opportunity for all) : In his team he always maintain a equality and since his childhood he lived with all caste of people so, he applied equality in his life.
• Family Security (taking care of loved ones) : In his family he is good son, when his father was ill, he used take the special doctor to their home, he used take care of his family members always.
• Freedom (independence free choice) : His parents thought that he should become a collector but his interest was different, then also he had a freedom to go which he likes.
• Happiness (contentedness) : “We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us” this line says that whatever problem comes we have to face it happily then only we will become happiness, this has said by Dr.Kalam
• Inner Harmony (freedom from inner conflict)
• Nature and Love (spiritual intimacy) : Dr. Kalam has got a spiritual values from his parents.
• National Security (protection from attack) : He always dreamt India in an developed country, in his book vision 2020 he narrates that in the year of 2020 how India should be.
• Pleasure (an enjoyable, leisurely life) : He never went behind the leisurely life, it came to according to the situation
• Salvation (saved, eternal life)
• Social Recognition (respect, admiration) : He did not run behind the recognition, according his achievement and contribution it came to him so, he is become one of the great leader of India
• Self-Respect (self-esteem)
• True Friendship (close companionship) : “ If we are not free no one will respect us”, this shows that he is giving the time to others and with his team and surroundings he is a good friend, to the children he is best friend.
• Wisdom (a mature understanding of life): His wordings like “ to succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal”, he further says that “your willingness to use your own inner resources to invest your life, especially your imagination, will bring you success, when you undertake a task from your own individual standpoint, you will become a person”, this shows that he is the man who understood the wisdom.

Ethics

“Ethics is the study of individual and collective moral awareness, judgment, character and conduct”

“Ethics are thus internally defined and adopted, whilst morals tend to be externally imposed on other people’.

There are many theories in ethics like Deontological which is based upon duty to do the right thing at all time, clearly defined right and wrong and look at the action.

The another one is Teleological which explains Based upon the consequences Utilitarian (greatest good to greatest number), Right / wrong is relative, in case of Dr Kalam the Deontological theory we could see as he explained his autobiography ‘Wings of fire’.

In APJ Abdul Kalam Virtue Ethics Theory is more functional, virtue ethics theory means habitual development of sound character’s traits determines the value of person.

• Individual characters ethics- Gratitude, courage, self-discipline, reliability, kindness, caring, and sincerity.
• Work characters ethics- Honesty, creativity, trustworthy, co-worker appreciation, task competition, empathy, cooperativeness, supportiveness, and tolerance.
• Professional character ethics- Self-regulation, trust, independence of judgement, collegiality, and impartiality.
• Imbibe of learning
• Total commitment is not just hard work, it is total involvement.
• To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal. Individuals like me are often called workaholics.
• To put the heart and soul into the mission.
• Your willingness to use your inner resources to invest your life, especially your imagination, will bring you success.

Above are the ethics which we can imbibe from the Dr. Kalam’s life, he himself said that he is not a philosopher, he is a man of technology but for me he his man of integrity means what he say that he does, he is philosopher also at the same time technical man also because he is following the above ethics, values which are all the success philosophy behind the technical man.

“Motivational sources should lie within yourself then no one can stop you from achieving your goal”        “We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us”

Above sentences said by Dr.Kalam which influenced me a lot and I remember it in my life always.

 

 

 

 

A little spark to think towards youths and farming.

In ‘Everybody Loves A Good Drought’, P. Sainath says “poverty line provides conceptual rationalization for looking at the poor as a ‘category’ to be taken care of. It does not take into account important aspects of poverty such as ill health, low educational attainments, geographical isolation, ineffective access to law, powerlessness in civil society and caste and gender based disadvantages.”

“My dear son, as we are become old and we cannot go to field as previous so now it is the time to handover our work to you, you please take care our 10 acre land and we wish every year you should get good yield”. The reply of the son is  “ father as you know now all my friends are going to city to earn and some of my friends are enjoying their life in city, In this village what can I get? always going to field and farming then I should wait for crop yield and finally I can get yearly income that to not reasonable profits for our crop so, I am also thinking of move from here by selling this to nearby Industrialist, you can also come with me after when I will get settled their or otherwise you can live here with labour”. One day I was going to college in that time I heard this conversation of one of the families in the village, suddenly I stopped their itself and my mind started to think present scenario of rural youth , farming and migration!

The rural youths are the group which consist the half of the world’s youth’s population and these are the people who are most effected by poverty. Whereas agriculture is the backbone of the India as you know, the agricultural workforce is estimated to be 286 million in 2010; it is decreased to 234 million in 2001. But the percentage of total workforce engaged in agriculture has fallen from 58% in 2001 to 55% in 2010. At the same time, the contribution of agriculture to GDP fell from 23.2% to 17.7%. Despite a bigger workforce in agriculture, the contribution of agriculture in the Indian economic growth is less. But when we see in the rural area in farming activities most of the population is old age people. Where are the youths? They are migrating to the city .But why? They have limited access to the education health and also job opportunities also. In a country with 600 million farmers, in this 40 present are willing to leave farming.  First they went for education, and once completion of education they got good job and city life attracting to them so there is no question of return back to village and continue farming. From the beginning itself farmers facing so many problems, at present labour problem is the one of the major problems. lack of labours, In farming physical work is more and income is yearly and also it is depend upon the nature, so youths wants modern life and good quick income that is why they are settling in city. I agree but just think of future!! Who will produce the food? Up course the modernisation and globalisation are effected on agriculture positively, I agree with that but more than it has affected negatively.

I would like to give one example: Nearby my village called Malagimane, One family with having father mother and son. They are the one of the richest family in that village with 7 acre arecanut plantation land. It gives around 7,00,000 income to them, but now his son is studying MCA in Bangalore he is not ready to do farming and father and mother become old and they cannot do farming as they were doing early so now their half of the yield declining.

In case of small and marginal farmers they are selling their land and they are migrating to urban for seeking another occupation. But now a day nobody is ready to purchase agriculture land. Even If somebody will purchase then they will not use for farming. Government and so many NGO’s are implementing many programs and technologies to promote agriculture and allied activities but in rural area most of the youths are not there in this case a most of the farmers illiterate and now they are not able to do much work and they do not know how to use modern technology if they know then also they cannot work with this efficiently.

I am not saying that turning of youth’s mentality towards modern, easy life is totally wrong but at the same time they should take care of their parents occupation and youths can bring change in the system so when they think about their own life in that time they should think about society also why because farmer is the food provider without him rest all are nil, for the balance of the system and sustainability of the agriculture youths take important role and they must realise it. If farmers are not there then what you will eat? You have good job, enough money, but where is the food? In some extent you can import from other countries but developing countries like India it always possible and what about the poor people? While talking about equality as a development professional, new economic policies, Modernisation and Liberalisation, Globalisation are for implemented to develop a county but if it is not taking care of the poor or marginalised people then how India would become a developed country? Here I am putting set of questions because as we are youth we should think of it.

 

Reference:

• Tejasvini pagadala, T. (2011, January 30). Retrieved from youthkiavaaz.com: http://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2011/01/rural-urban-migration-india/

• Amrita sharama and Anic badhuri, A. s. (n.d.). THE “TIPPING POINT” IN INDIAN AGRICULTURE. Retrieved from http://nrlp.iwmi.org/PDocs/DReports/Phase_01/07.%20Indian%20agriculture-Migration-%20Sharma%20et%20al.pdf
• http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/20

 

 

 

 

Move but turn back..

Freiwilligenbericht von Shweta, Freiwillige bei der Kita St. Ulrich:

Time moves quickly, days runs fast! Finally when we turn back then remains memories. Yes! My one year abroad volunteer ship is going to end soon but I am taking many things with me and leaving many things here.

(Weitergehen aber zurück blicken. Die Zeit vergeht schnell, Tage fliegen dahin! Wenn wir schließlich zu­rückblicken, bleiben die Erinnerungen im Gedächt­nis. Ja! Mein Jahr als Freiwillige im Ausland endet bald, aber ich nehme viele Dinge daraus mit und lasse viele Dinge zurück.)

When I am with the children then I feel I am some ­where else, many times children takes care of me as my best friend, they ask like a parent, they share with me everything. Well, in my culture we believe that children are equal to god, also they do not care about my language in the beginning it was difficult but always there is way to deal the things and now when they came to know that I am leaving soon from Germany then they are very sad! Me too, but that the love I am taking with me.

(Wenn ich bei den Kindern bin, fühle ich mich als wäre ich woanders. Die Kinder achten auf mich, kümmern sich um mich und teilen Alles mit mir. In meiner Kul­tur glauben wir, dass Kinder Gott gleich sind. Sie ha­ben sich auch garnicht an meinen Sprachkenntnissen gestört, am Anfang war es schwierig, aber es gab im­mer eine Lösung. Jetzt begreifen sie langsam, dass ich bald aus Deutschland weggehen werde, was sie sehr traurig macht! Mich auch, aber ich nehme ganz viel Liebe mit.)

I should say that hence I did few projects with my workplace and also outside the workplace , at my workplace one of the project I did that preparing a Carom game, Carom is one of the Indian game which we play as indoor but it really makes fun, children learnt to play it and now everyday we play, I could say Carom board and that game is one of the gift that I made for children, another important thing is teaching Indian dance to the children, well we had a summer fest and in that Indian dance was the highlight point, children were enjoying with dancing and parents are also very happy. Children often say “Shweta tanz macht spass”.

(Während meiner Zeit als Freiwillige habe ich einige Projekte bei der Arbeit, aber auch außerhalb umge­setzt. Auf Arbeit war eines davon ein Carrom Spiel herzustellen. Carrom ist ein indisches Brettspiel, es macht großen Spaß. Die Kinder haben gelernt es zu spielen und nun spielen wir es jeden Tag. Mir war es auch wichtig, den Kindern indische Tänze beizubrin­gen. Als wir Sommerfest hatten, war der indische Tanz der Höhepunkt. Die Kinder liebten es und die Eltern waren auch begeistert. Die Kinder sagen oft: „Shweta Tanz macht Spass“.)

The another most memorable day for me that my birthday, I had a different birthday celebration and gifts from the children. Now full of “Freunde buch”, (Autograph book), lots of things that every day I ex­perience with children and some of the parents invite me for family functions and cooking together specially Indian food makes me happy always.

(Ein anderer erinnungswürdiger Tag für mich war mein Geburtstag. Ich hatte eine eigene Geburtstags­feier und bekam Geschenke von den Kindern. Nun habe ich ein volles „Freunde Buch“, und viele Dinge die mich an die Kinder erinnern. Einige Eltern haben mich auch eingeladen, um an ihrem Familienleben Teil zu haben. Da haben wir auch indisches Essen ge­kocht, ich hatte immer sehr viel Spaß dabei)

There other hurdles too but I always tried to do my level best and I can see and feel that my target group which is given to me in this project is happy with me and it is a sad situation to both of us, but life moves and we have to move so I just cannot forget and I will also miss many things, Thanks a lot.
Es gab auch viele Hürden, aber ich habe immer mein Bestes gegeben. Ich sehe und fühle, dass meine Kindergartengruppe, die ich in diesem Projekt betreut habe, glücklich mit mir ist. Mein Abschied ist eine traurige Angelegenheit für uns alle, aber das Leben geht weiter und auch wir ziehen weiter. Ich werde diese Zeit nicht vergessen und ich werde viele Dinge vermissen, Vielen Dank.
By, Shweta, India
Tschüss, Shweta, Indien
(Picture by 6 years old child and one of my birthday gifts

(Each paragraph has been translated in German as it has been published in German)

“World is meeting at one platform”

“ Bundesfreiwillingendiest” (BFD) is the initiation of sending and receiving the volunteers from the worldwide! Really this is the very wonderful idea. Yes, from 10^th of November to 14^th of November I was in the seminar in Nurnburg. It was amazing and it was so surprising in the introduction of all volunteers at the beginning because we were having the participants from 16 countries of 4 continents Asia, Africa, Europe and Latine America. Before going to seminar I was not aware that we are going to meet these many people from across the world, wow it was great.

I felt really proud about to present about my country and it was a great opportunity to all of us that to present about our own countries and also about experience in Germany. Another important experience was exposure to Nurnburg. I felt that I was really in the time of Hitler. This city is very famous for Nazis and there is a very big building made for the Hitler and his speech. Now that building is exhibitioncentre about past history of Germany. We heard many things about Hitler and World Wars but this is the actual visit to that place.

It was a good learning experience to know about other country and making new friends, hearing many languages at one place. The hospitality of the BFD (bildung centre) was wonderful and one of the head of administrations from BFD Berlin came to visit us. Last day evening party by doing dances of differentcountries was also nice( I have got the opportunity to perform Indian dance too) and seminar ended with doing and present group projects. The photo presentation of the whole week journey and drawing the all countries flag on the wall of the BFD (bildung centre) building also unforgettable.

I am very thankful to my receiving organisation Friedenskreis Halle e.V.

and also BFD for providing this opportunity.

Shweta Hegde from India..

(This article has been published in the news letter an Organisation “Freidenskrise” in Germany)

 

The adventure begins..

My real journey in Germany starts after waiting for 8 months. Yes! Finally, we reached to Germany On August 5^th. Our welcome started from the Berlin airport up to reach Halle. The first week was a nice experience with the seminar. Ofcorce India and Germany are two different worlds! The lifestyle, food, cloth, culture, system, everything. To experience this we need to travel a lot in India also, as I did.

In the first week, we had an arrival seminar, where got trained about the law, rules and regulation of the country, internet governance, advancing privacy, access to information, lifestyle, precaution to take in any situation etc.

In the beginning the most bothered thing is language for me. That I realised when I started to work in my assignment place “Sankt Ulrich Kita”. Yes, I have an experience to work with children in India but, here for me it is totally different, in the beginning with the lots of confusions and after having many discussions with the concerned people and finally my self-motivation made me strong and understand the situations and the concept. But many times I was helpless to express because of the language. Happy to say that I am learning language with the children and I am enjoying.

At my assignment place the first project I did was celebration of Indian festival “Ganesha Pooja”, with playing story with theatre and dance for the Indian song and also with cooking Indian food and children were enjoying the day. I had good learning with this that was not so easy to organise this because everyone were not open for other culture and religion!

My another most lovable experience is “children ride” to the village out of Halle. Were we stayed for one week with the children and just I felt I was in my village because of the nature and forest. I learnt many crafts (creative handmade products) things which I enjoy always. Playing with the children with many Indian rural games remembers me my childhood.

In the kindergarten I am coming to know about the family, traditional and childhood life of the children here. Visiting church with the children and celebrating each child’s as well educator’s birthday and other many things. When autumn season started I got an opportunity to translated German autumn song in to in Indian national language Hindi. The “ElternAbend” , for the first time in my life till I cooked for whole 70 people! finding the things for cooking from the Indian shops and cook for all was funny experience. But everyone liked and parents were so happy.Another interesting event was collecting food items from the all parents and donating that to poor people through “BanrufMission”.

Sometime I feel bad and many questions comes in my mind, one thing is because parents leave very small and younger child in the kindergarden. And another thing is of the “explanation of disability”, it is different here. One thing I have to share with you that two sisters in the kindergarten is from the difficult family situation and because of the financial problem they are not able to come to kindergarten now, according to kita they are disabled children, they need to come to the kindergarten regularly but they are at home  now. My question is in this situation what is the best solution here?

More than 2 months over in Germany, with lots of learning and experiences. I Miss many times India also. Enjoying the days here. Staying in the guest family here is very nice experience for me. I am getting interest to know about more things and also to share my knowledge. I am open to learn from every small things.If you know more thinks you can always contact me, Thanks to all .