Wings of Fire: An Autobiography
A P J Abdul Kalam, Arun Tiwari
Price
495
ISBN
9788173711466
Language
English
Pages
212
Format
Paperback
Dimensions
158 x 240 mm
Year of Publishing
1999
Territorial Rights
World
Imprint
Universities Press
Catalogues

Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, the son of a little-educated boat-owner in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, had an unparalleled career as a defence scientist, culminating in the highest civilian award of India, the Bharat Ratna. As chief of the country’s defence research and development programme, Kalam demonstrated the great potential for dynamism and innovation that existed in seemingly moribund research establishments.

This is the story of Kalam’s rise from obscurity and his personal and professional struggles, as well as the story of Agni, Prithvi, Akash, Trishul and Nag—missiles that have become household names in India and that have raised the nation to the level of a missile power of international reckoning. This is also the saga of independent India’s struggle for technological self-sufficiency and defensive autonomy—a story as much about politics, domestic and international, as it is about science.

A P J Abdul Kalam with Arun Tiwari.

Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Orientation
Creation
Propitiation
Contemplation
Epilogue

1. The Assam Tribune | Guwahati, October 2018
2. HT-NIELSEN BOOKSCAN | Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 10 June 2017
3. Mention in The Economic Times | May 2017
4. Mention in The Telegraph, May 2017
5. The Sentinal Guwahati | April 2017
6. The Financial Express | April 2017
7. Mention in The Telegraph | November 2016
8. Mention in The Telegraph, September 2016
9. Wings of Fire - to go online The Hindu, May 2003
10. Review by Dr Chakrapani, July 2002
11. Review in Current Science by Dr Gangan Prathap, January, 1999
“There is something that everybody can extract from this book... The book is worthy of being read by every Indian...”

- M. S. Mukunda, Department of Aerospace Engineering, IIs, Bangalore, in Resonance, September ‘99

“... the first authentic volume on our (Indian) Space Odyssey...”

- B. Sharma, Editor, Philosophy and Social Action.

“Which book would you make compulsory reading?”
“A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s Wings of Fire”

- M. V. Kamath’s reply in an interview in the Asian Age, May ‘99

“... a book worth its weight in gold.”

- Bhawani-Prasad Chattopadhyay, The Statesman, March ‘99

“... a brilliant account of the success story of India’s space rocketry and missile programme.”

- Dr. A. V. Moharir, Nuclear Research lab., I.A.R.I, Business inn Journal, Feb-March ‘99

“Nothing could be more inspiring in my life than reading your autobiography.”

- Rajesh Pant, Nasik, Reader, In a letter to DR. Kalam

“... a warm and intensely personal, deeply passionate story of a common boat owner’s son who has become India’s most distinguished living technocrat. ... the book is “all-Kalam“ in feel... Kalam’s personal story is a valuable document that... Indians can be  world beaters... with no foreign training or degree. For this upbeat message alone his autobiography is worth a 100 management tomes.”

- Anand Parthasarathy, The Hindu, February ‘99

This autobiographical account is the most inspiring one I have read in recent years.

- Gangan Prathap, N.A.L., in Current Science, January ‘99

“... I strongly suggest that one reads this book.”

- Pratap Ravindran, Business Line, June ’99

1. Book Review | Published in the Free Press Journal, Mumbai, 4 August 2024.
2. Book Notice | Published in the Deccan Herald, Bengaluru, 24 July 2024.
3. Article| Published in The New Indian Express, Bengaluru, 27 March 2024.
4. Article | Published in the Hans India, Hyderabad, 23 July 2023.
5. Book Review | Published in The Pioneer, New Delhi, 24 January 2023.
6. Brief narration of Abdul Kalam’s life before he became the President of India.
7. Covid patients find friends in books! | Free Press Journal, Mumbai, 9 October 2021.
8. Defence Prowess Towards New Horizon | Uday India (weekly), New Delhi, 31 January-6 February 2021.
9. Review on Wings of Fire | Navbharat Times, Mumbai, 12 October 2020.
10. Progress in pockets by Arun Tiwari | The Week, Kochi, 16 February 2020
11. Review on Wings of Fire | Dainik Jagran, New Delhi, 29 June 2019