Best APJ Abdul Kalam Quotes: Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was one of the most celebrated Presidents of India. He was popularly known as the ‘Missile Man of India’,and his words resonate not just with aspiring scientists, but with dreamers, leaders, and change-makers of every kind.
For many, Dr. Kalam's quotes aren't just inspirational sayings — they are life lessons that push us to dream big, work hard, and live with purpose. Whether you're seeking motivation to chase your dreams or looking for guidance to overcome life's challenges, his timeless words have a way of speaking directly to your heart.
Here are some of the most powerful APJ Abdul Kalam quotes that will ignite your passion and remind you of your limitless potential. Let’s celebrate his exemplary journey to reinforce our insight and knowledge.
About APJ Abdul Kalam
Indian aeronautical expert Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was born on October 15, 1931. He studied physics and aeronautical engineering and was born and reared in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
APJ Abdul Kalam worked as a scientist and scientific administrator for the following four decades, primarily at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Additionally, he played a key role in developing India's military missile technology as well as its civilian space programmes.
Consequently, APJ Abdul Kalam earned the moniker "Missile Man of India" for his contributions to the advancement of launch vehicles and ballistic missile technology. With the backing of both the governing Bharatiya Janata Party and the then-opposition Indian National Congress, Kalam was chosen as India's 11th president in 2002. He served one term as "People's President" before returning to his civilian life of teaching, writing, and public service. He had received a number of honours, including the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India.
Dr. Kalam, who was 83 years old, succumbed to a heart attack on July 27, 2015, while giving a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong. Thousands of people, including national leaders, attended his funeral service in his hometown of Rameswaram, where he was buried with full state honours.
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Inspirational and Motivational Quotes by APJ Abdul Kalam
- “Dream, Dream, Dream. Dreams transform into thoughts and thoughts result in action.”
- “Determination is the power that sees us through all our frustration and obstacles. It helps in building our willpower which is the very basis of success.”
- “Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.”
- “Be Active! Take on responsibility! Work for the things you believe in. If you do not, you are surrendering your fate to others.”
- “The best brains of the nation may be found on the last benches of the classroom.”
- "Life is a difficult game. You can win it only by retaining your birthright to be a person."
- "When you look at the light bulb above you, you remember Thomas Alva Edison. When the telephone bell rings, you remember Alexander Graham Bell. Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize. When you see the blue sky, you think of Sir C.V. Raman."
- “Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is something that does not let you sleep.”
- “It Is Very Easy To Defeat Someone, But It Is Very Hard To Win Someone”
- “Don't take rest after your first victory because if you fail in the second, more lips are waiting to say that your first victory was just luck.”
- “Thinking is the capital, Enterprise is the way, Hard Work is the solution”
- “Man needs difficulties in life because they are necessary to enjoy success.”
- “Be active! Take on responsibility! Work for the things you believe in. If you do not, you are surrendering your fate to others.”
- “Failure will never overtake me if my definition of success is strong enough”.
- "You see, God helps only people who work hard. That principle is very clear."
- "Building capacity dissolves differences. It irons out inequalities."
- “We are all born with a divine fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this fire and fill the world with the glow of its goodness.”
- “Once your mind stretches to a new level it never goes back to its original dimension”
- “To succeed in life and achieve results, you must understand and master three mighty forces— desire, belief, and expectation.”
- “If you want to leave your footprints On the sands of time Do not drag your feet.”
- “If you want to shine like a sun, first burn like a sun.”
- “To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal.”
- “A big shot is a little shot who keeps on shooting, so keep trying.”
- “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
- "Those who cannot work with their hearts achieve but a hollow, half-hearted success that breeds bitterness all around."
- "You have to dream before your dreams can come true."
- "Excellence is a continuous process and not an accident."
- "Let us sacrifice our today so that our children can have a better tomorrow."
- "We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us."
- "Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success."
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- “I am not handsome but I can give my hand to someone who needs help... Because beauty is required in the heart, not in the face....”
- “Sometimes, it's better to bunk a class and enjoy with friends, because now, when I look back, marks never make me laugh, but memories do.”
- “Behind the parents stands the school, and behind the teacher the home.”
- “God has not promised Skies always blue, Flower-strewn pathways All our life through; God has not promised Sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, Peace without pain.”
- “When your hopes and dreams and goals are dashed, search among the wreckage, you may find a golden opportunity hidden in the ruins.”
- "The youth need to be enabled to become job generators from job seekers."
- "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."
- “He who knows others is learned, but the wise one is the one who knows himself. Learning without wisdom is of no use.”
- “You cannot change your FUTURE, you can change your HABITS. And surely your HABITS will change your FUTURE”
- “I have repeatedly seen how people are poor at articulating what they want—until they see a work centre doing something they don't want them to do.”
- “See the flower, how generously it distributes perfume and honey. When its work is done, it falls away quietly. Try to be like the flower, unassuming despite all its qualities.”
- “There are boundaries that dictate life: you can only lift so much weight; you can only learn so fast; you can only work so hard; you can only go so far!”
- "Great dreams of great dreamers are always transcended."
- “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.”
- “The ignited mind of the youth is the most powerful resource on the earth, above the earth and under the earth”
- “The sweetness we taste in a piece of sugar is neither a property of the sugar nor a property of ourselves. We are producing the experience of sweetness in the process of interacting with the sugar.”
- “There seems to be an attitude problem as if we cannot shake ourselves out of a mindset of limited achievement.”
- “I reminded myself that the best way to win was to not need to win. The best performances are accomplished when you are relaxed and free of doubt.”
- "If we are not free, no one will respect us."
- “Be more dedicated to making solid achievements than in running after swift but synthetic happiness.”
- “Above all things, reverence yourself.”
- “Before God trusts you with success, you have to prove yourself humble enough to handle the big prize.”
- “Wisdom is a weapon to ward off destruction; It is an inner fortress which enemies cannot destroy.”
- “Knowledge cannot be taken away from anyone except by obsolescence.”
- "War is never a lasting solution to any problem."
- "One lesson that every nation can learn from China is to focus more on creating village-level enterprises, quality health services and educational facilities."
- "Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work."
- "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."
- "The purpose of education is to make good human beings with skill and expertise... Enlightened human beings can be created by teachers."
- "If four things are followed - having a great aim, acquiring knowledge, hard work, and perseverance - then anything can be achieved."
- "My message, especially to young people is to have courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed. These are great qualities that they must work towards. This is my message to the young people."
An outpouring of mourning followed Kalam's passing in India, and numerous condolences to the late president were expressed both offline and online. In remembrance, the Indian government proclaimed a seven-day period of national mourning. Dr Kalam received seven honorary doctorates from 40 different universities. His efforts with ISRO and DRDO, as well as his function as the government's scientific advisor, got him the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awards from the Indian government in 1981 and 1990, respectively.
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In 1997, Kalam was awarded the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian distinction bestowed by India, in recognition of his contributions to scientific advancement and the modernization of Indian defence technology. He was presented with the Von Braun Award by the National Space Society in 2013 "to recognise excellence in the management and leadership of a space-related project". He was named second in a survey of the greatest Indians conducted by Outlook India in 2012 as well.
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