Good bye, Dr Kalam

Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam is no more.

His demise is certainly going to be a great loss to the entire nation, especially to the millions of young people who looked up to him for inspiration. He has passed away, leaving behind a huge void… an empty space which is hard to fill.

I feel a deep sense of loss when the realisation hits that his smiling face and bright eyes will no longer be part of our world. But more than that, I feel a deep sense of gratitude to this great man who not only dreamt of a developed India, but also instilled that dream in a great many young hearts.

Thank you, Dr. Kalam, for having ignited the minds of millions of young people through your inspirational speeches, encouraging them to dream big and achieve the impossible.

We live in an age where people, especially the younger generation, can get easily disillusioned by failures of any sort, often giving up their dreams and resigning themselves to fate. But I am truly grateful to you for having tirelessly striven to ignite these young minds with a steady and powerful antidote of hope, stressing the necessity of dreaming big in life.

Thank you for constantly reminding us that we need to dream… to dream with our eyes open.

Thank you, Dr. Kalam, for helping us understand that failure and success are very much a part of life, and that facing difficulties in life bravely is perhaps the surest definition of success.

This is something that we all forget from time to time when we face adversities in life. I am so grateful to you for having instilled in us the courage to pursue our goals single-mindedly and strive towards succeeding in our mission.

Thank you, Dr. Kalam, for the constant motivation you gave our young minds — to think and act differently, to have the courage to tread paths that are left unexplored, to have a focused goal in life, and to conquer whatever problems come our way so that ultimately we succeed in our mission.

India needs more people like you, who can truly reach down to the hearts of young people and convince them that they have within them all that it takes to succeed.

Thank you, Dr. Kalam, for proving to the world that humility is a very endearing quality.

What matters most in life is the need to have integrity, values and principles, and to adhere to them. I am truly grateful for the strong example you have set through your own life — that tireless journey filled with vision and passion, from Rameshwaram to Rashtrapati Bhavan and beyond…

Thank you, Dr. Kalam, for having given us the courage to dream big, to achieve whatever we set our minds to, to commit ourselves to serving our nation with dedication, to be exemplary visionaries, leaders, teachers, parents, guides and mentors, and, most of all, to have faith in ourselves.

You will undoubtedly be missed, but your words will forever remain etched in our hearts.

Goodbye, Dr. Kalam. We love you very much.