The nation cried after a very
long time. It wept when Gandhi left, tears trickled down when Nehru departed
and now an avalanche of tears and emotions flowed when Kalam passed away. That
mere religion is not at the root of genuine love, respect and emotion is the
true learning from this incident that engulfed the nation into sadness.
Today is Guru Punima, the day of reverence
to all our teachers and what can be better than to remember the true teachers
that this nation had, Gandhi, Nehru and Kalam. Gandhi gave us our greatest
gift, the gift of freedom that he snatched from the jaws of the British, armed
only with the greatest power on earth, the power of non violence, the power of
non submission to what is inherently wrong. Gandhi was also the most powerful
man ever to walk on earth for his power was truly personal, the genuine power
that emerges from being truthful and one with humanity and this trait alone
ensured the submission of the greatest nation of that time to the rightful
demands of a very big section of the humanity. And Nehru led this nation in its
most difficult times.
Kalam, I met for the first time
properly when along with Arunima, my better half we went to his residence to invite him for the annual
function of the railway women’s organization. His simplicity was just amazing
for we could never have visualized such a big man to be so simple, so down to earth and
so humble. Accustomed to the rough ways of those in power and also out of it,
we were simply charmed into submission and at that very moment we fell in love
with the greatest of human being we had ever met in our lives. He came for the
event and conquered forever the hearts of all the railwaymen present for the
grandest yet simplest function of their lives.
Kalam, the truest teacher that this
nation has ever had showed us the meaning of words like humbleness, humility,
commitment, truth, integrity and being true to oneself, the organization and
the nation. That these are not mere words from the english vocabulary but have
a great inherent meaning and value for the humankind is the biggest learning
imparted by the greatest missile man and the finest president ever born in this
republic.
He mingled with the differently abled
kids on the day of the function as if he were a kid himself and therefore could
feel the pain and the joys of being one whom the allmighty has made not like
many others. His beaming face, his voice laced with emotion and love and his
direct connect with the people, especially the children who are the future simply
transports one to a different environment.
And to the men in power and out
of it, his life is a subtle message that authority is vested only for the good
of people at large, not for self aggrandizement.
His soul left his body while he
was teaching at Shillong, a true teacher he was.
Gandhi once said “My life is my
message”. Kalam never had to say it, yet his life shall forever remain the most
powerful message for the nation after Gandhi.
