English - Lesson 15: (TMA) "My vision for India" by A.P.J Abdul Kalam

 

Let us read the speech delivered by our former President, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and know what his vision for India is.

I have three visions for India. In 3000 years of our history people from all over the world have come and invaded us, captured our lands, conquered our minds. 

From Alexander onwards the Greeks, the Turks, the Moguls, the Portuguese, the British, the French, the Dutch, all of them came and looted us, took over what was ours.

Yet we have not done this to any other nation. 

We have not conquered anyone. 

We have not grabbed their land, their culture and their history and tried to enforce our way of life on them. 

Why? Because we respect the freedom of others. 

That is why my FIRST VISION is that of FREEDOM. 

I believe that India got its first vision of this in 1857, when we started the war of Independence. 

It is this freedom that we must protect and nurture and build on. If we are not free, no one will respect us.

We have 10 percent growth rate in most areas. 

Our poverty levels are falling. 

Our achievements are being globally recognised today. 

Yet we lack the self-confidence to see ourselves as a developed nation, self-reliant and self-assured. Isn’t this incorrect? 

MY SECOND VISION for India is DEVELOPMENT. 

For fifty years we have been a developing nation. It is time we see ourselves as a developed nation. We are among top five nations in the world in terms of GDP.

I have a THIRD VISION. India must stand up to the world. 

Because I believe that unless India stands up to the world, no one will respect us. Only strength respects strength. 

We must be strong not only as a military power but also as an economic power. 

Both must go hand-in-hand. 

My good fortune was to have worked with three great minds. Dr.Vikram Sarabhai, of the Dept. of Space, Professor Satish Dhawan, who succeeded him and Dr. Brahm Prakash, father of nuclear material. 

I was lucky to have worked with all three of them closely and consider this the great opportunity of my life.

I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14-year-old girl asked me for my autograph.

I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied: I want to live in a developed India.

For her, you and I will have to build this developed India. 

You must proclaim India is not an underdeveloped nation; it is a highly developed nation.

You say that our government is inefficient. You say that our laws are too old. 

You say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. 

You say that the phones don’t work, the railways are a joke, the airline is the worst in the world, and mails never reach their destination. 

You say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits. 

You say, say and say. What do you do about it?

Dear Indians, I am echoing J.F.Kennedy’s words to his fellow Americans to relate to

Indians ……. “ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO

BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN

COUNTRIES ARE TODAY.”

TERMINAL QUESTIONS

1. According to you what is the importance of freedom?

Freedom is important because: it is our fundamental right, we can express our opinions, choice of religion, work, etc.

2. If you had been asked about your goal in life by Dr. Kalam, what would have been your reply?

3. Why must India be strong both as a military and an economic power?

India must be a strong military and economic power because only then will we be respected by other countries, protect our freedom and become a leading power.

INTEXT QUESTIONS 15.1

1. Who is ‘I’ in the above passage? Professor Dr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam

2. State the impact that the invaders had on India.

The invaders captured our lands, took away our riches and conquered our minds.

3. Why have we never invaded other countries?

We have never invaded another country because we respect the freedom of others.

4. “I believe that India got its first vision of this in 1857.” What is Dr. Kalam referring to?

Dr Kalam is referring to the uprising of 1857. He says so because the uprising is considered as the first war of Indian Independence.

5. What according to Dr. Kalam should Indians protect, nurture and build on?

We should protect, nurture and build on our freedom.

6. In the poem “Where The Mind Is Without Fear,” Rabindra Nath Tagore says,

“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high

1. Mention a few achievements which have given India global recognition. In which fields is India still lacking?

The hosting of the Commonwealth Games, development in entertainment, literature, science and information technology.

India is lacking in self-confidence, self-reliance and self-assurance.

2. List three positive things about India mentioned by Dr. Kalam.

(a) 10% growth rate in most areas.

(b) Global recognition

(c) belief in freedom for all

3. Most of us in India claim our rights but do not perform our duties, e.g. all of us want good roads but are not willing to look after them. How does this affect a country’s development? Illustrate with two examples.

1. According to Dr. Kalam in which field should India stand strong?

According to Dr. Kalam India should be strong in the field of military & economic power.

2. Dr. Abdul Kalam worked with three great minds. In the table given below list their names and the department with which they were associated.

1. Dr. Vikram Sarabhai Department of Space

2. Professor Satish Dhawan Department of Space

3. Dr.Brahm Prakash Nuclear Technology

1. What according to Dr. Kalam should an Indian proclaim while talking about India?

While talking about India one should proclaim that India is not an under-developed nation, it is a highly developed nation.

2. What is your vision of a developed country? In what ways can you contribute towards realising it? Explain in about 30 words

DO YOU KNOW?

Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam

• Born in the island town of Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu on October 15, 1931

• Became the 11th President of India, serving from 2002 – 2007 and was popularly

known as the People’s President.

• Spent most of his childhood in financial problems and worked at an early age to

supplement his family’s income.

• Was the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of Defence Research and Development Organisation from July 1992 to December 1999

• Project Director for (SLV-II) and Chief Executive of the Integrated Guided Missile

Development Program (I.G.M.D.P)

• Patronised grassroots innovations

• Closely associated with the Honey Bee Network and The National innovation

Foundation.

• An iconic and inspirational figure among the masses, he is immensely loved and

adored by the children of India

• His clean image and ability to inspire the youths in India made him the Bharat Ka

Paryavaran Ambassador

• The first Asian to be bestowed upon with Hoover Medal, America’s top

engineering prize, for outstanding contribution to public service on April 29, 2009

• Was honoured with the nation’s highest civilian honours: the Padma Bhushan in

1981, the Padma Vibhushan in 1990 and the Bharat Ratna in 1997 for his

work with ISRO and DRDO and his role as a scientific advisor to the Indian

government.

Dr. A.P.J. Kalam has three goals that he would like India to achieve. All the three goals are related to each other. 

Freedom and independence will have real meaning if we develop economically. 

Economic development will help us to be strong and will make other countries respect us. 

But we the people of India are responsible for the development of our country, and for making it one of the leading nations of the world. 

Each one of us needs to do whatever is necessary to make Dr. Kalam’s VISION come true. 

It is time to stop complaining about the problems in our country and to start doing something about them.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad - The first President of India

• Born in Zeradei, Bihar on December 3, 1884

• Father—Mahadev Sahai, wife—Rajvanshi Devi

• Joined Presidency College, Calcutta in 1902.

• Got Masters degree in Law and won gold medal in 1915.

• Deeply moved by the dedication, conviction and courage Gandhiji displayed in

Chamaparan, Bihar

• 1914 floods ravaged Bihar and Bengal – distributed food and clothes to victims

• 1934 earthquake shook Bihar, caused immense damage and loss of property –

immediately got involved in relief work

• Elected nation’s first President by the Constitution of Independent India on January 26,1950

• The only President to be elected twice

• Retired as President in 1962 and was awarded Bharat Ratna

• Died on February 28,1963