From Dreams to Action: How A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Continues to Inspire India's Youth in 2025|anubhab

From Dreams to Action: How A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Continues to Inspire India's Youth in 2025

                                   Img source: wikipedia                                   

The Spark of a Young Dreamer

In 2025, a 16-year-old girl hailing from the smallest village in Odisha read Wings of Fire and decided to do something more than just dream. This girl's inspiration was Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's journey from a newspaper boy to the President of India. She started a small solar power project which today lights 30 homes in her area. Her story is not unique; it is one of the millions lit by Kalam's legacy.

 

Born in 1931 in Rameswaram, the "Missile Man" and 11th President of India, Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, died in 2015, but even a decade later, his life continued to ignite young minds. His autobiography Wings of Fire has sold over 10 million copies worldwide, proof that his message resonates deep across generations. Kalam's story is not of success but a roadmap for the youth of today on how to dream big, work hard, and stay humble.

 

Kalam's Humble Beginning and Rising Above Odds

From Newspaper Boy to Dreamer

                                                Img source: india today

Young Kalam grew up selling newspapers in the small town of Rameswaram to help his family. By the time he was 12, he had earned enough to buy his first book-on birds. That innocent little act, in a way, symbolized what would be defining qualities of his life: curiosity and determination. He once said, "Dreams are not what you see in sleep; they are what don't let you sleep."

Actionable Takeaways:

•         Change small jobs into lessons, as each will help instill discipline and teamwork.
•         Save pocket money for books or online courses that will grow your skills.
•         Let your curiosity fuel you to ask why and how until you find your what.

Overcoming Educational Obstacles

Life wasn't easy. Kalam had to walk miles to school, studying mostly under streetlights. He faced rejection in interviews and struggled with finances, but he never gave up. His biographer Arun Tiwari quotes Kalam's "faith in hard work beat poverty every time."

Practical Lessons for Students:

•          Monitor your daily progress; for small goals, create lifelong habits.
•          Seek out mentors early on; guidance shortens the path to mastery.
•          Treat failure as feedback, not defeat.

Breakthroughs in Science and Leadership

Building India's Missile Program

                                                                Img source: The better india
                                

After finishing the course in aeronautical engineering, Kalam joined ISRO and then DRDO, becoming the backbone of the Indian missile and space programmes. The 1980 successful flight of SLV-3, which made India join the elite Space Club, was led by none other than him. Projects like Agni and Prithvi established India as self-reliant in defense technology under his leadership.

He so often would remind:"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: the father, the mother, and the teacher". It was a vision about people, purpose, and progress-not just about rockets.

President and Teacher

He was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007, but he liked to call himself "India's teacher." He visited more than 100 colleges and spoke to more than 20 million students during this tenure. He was deeply committed to the belief that the future belonged to those who can blend science with humanity. "Campus visits by Kalam planted innovation in rural soil," said one of the most prominent scientists, Dr. Anil Kakodkar.

Takeaways for the Contemporary Youth:

•          Volunteer to teach or mentor younger children.
•         Pursue public service - leadership is service in action.
•          Marry ethics with ambition: greatness without goodness is nothing.

Power of Simple Living and Big Thinking
 

Despite global fame, Kalam lived simply-no luxury cars, no lavish houses. Most of his presidential salary was donated to education causes. His humility had made him relatable; his ideas, unforgettable.

A young Bangalore-based founder of an eco-app while bootstrapping her startup, attributed this to Kalam's minimalist approach for not taking any loans in 2024. As Kalam once said, "Be more dedicated to making silent dreams come true than noisy failure."

 

Importance of Education and Innovation

It had been Kalam's dream to integrate technology with education amongst rural children in India. His already ongoing project, PURA, had taken off, and with over 500 hubs of rural technology already in action across the countryside by the year 2025, villages were connecting through digital means with life-changing possibilities and opportunities. NASA scientist Dr. Farooq Abdullah hailed Kalam for "uniting heart and science" — a rare balance.

How the Youth Can Carry It Forward:

•         Read one inspiring book each month.
•          Try out some do-it-yourself tech or science projects.
•         Join with peers to creatively solve problems facing your community.

Real Impact on Youth in 2025

Inspiring Start-ups and Social Projects

Young minds across India still walk in the footprints of Kalam. In Kerala, a teen team of drone innovators took inspiration from the structures of missiles that Kalam helped develop. They raised $50,000 in 2025 to improve disaster relief systems.

 A 2024 poll conducted by the Youth Barometer reported the astonishing figure of 65% as the proportion  of Indian youth naming A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as the top role model, a stunning testimony to his timeless appeal.

 As put rather succinctly by young entrepreneur Priya Singh: "Kalam taught me that failure is a step, not a stop."

 Personal stories of transformation: 

Think of a dropout who once felt lost and then read Ignited Minds. Today, he is a self-taught coder training over 200 underprivileged children to code and in robotics. According to Psychologist Dr. Shefali Batra, Kalam’s story “teaches resilience and reduces anxiety among teens who fear failure.”

 Each youth can start today:

•         Journal your dreams on a weekly basis to keep track of your growth.
•          Join online Kalam fan communities for inspiration.
•          Celebrate small wins, for it is in the progress that real power lies.

 Conclusion: Dream, Do, and Dare

From a barefoot boy in Rameswaram to the highest office in India, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam's journey proves one truth: dreams need action, not wishes. His life reminds us that greatness doesn't come from comfort but from courage.

 He once said, “You have to dream before your dreams can come true.” So today, take one step: start a journal, build something, teach someone — make your own Wings of Fire. And when you do, share your story, because your journey might be that spark for the next young dreamer.