Something else about Dr Abdul Kalam evokes more pathos than his death. He failed to impact our lives. Now wait before you reach for the nearest missile or a choice cuss word. I was about to add it was not his fault that he was a misfit in a polity and society that held little value for the things he stood for and spoke of. That he still maintained a cheerful demeanour and exuded positive vibes marked him out as a shining, sterling gem amidst mud.
For instance, the tsunami of eulogies and his quotable quotes that inundate the nation now are heart warming and inspiring; but he himself during his last living minutes was most agitated over the stalemate in Parli! We will of course also put such a profound person on a pedestal soon, pay respects at the appointed days and hours and push off; and instead proceed to place petty scoundrels and prolific looters in power. Dr Kalam, who had a ringside view of such sordid circuses, was too rational to be fooled by this disconnect; yet he always had a smile and good word. He was hope personified.
Dr AK’s greatness can be best be demonstrated only through ironies. A bachelor sans scandal. A teacher non- pareil who kept learning non-stop to his end of days. A visionary technocrat with supreme faith in antiquity. A genius who merged science and spirituality and still remained both humane and a scientist. He knew all of Bharath’s scriptures upside down and was upto date on the latest scientific paper. He named all his projects after some such cultural inspiration or a local tradition. He made old-world wisdom seem so fashionable that he was a true youth icon. More than missiles, he had launched many an aspiring, eager young mind into the endless realms of possibilities that lie untapped within and beyond.
Dr Kalam demonstrated that simplicity is not rocket science. He exited Rashtrapathi Bhavan on demitting office with the same two suitcases that he had when he became its honoured tenant. Now, I will resist the temptation to bring in Prathiba Patil and her packers and movers. By the way, Prez Kalam even reimbursed the State for any expenses that an occasional personal visitor may have caused to the exchequer. In this he stood out as a paragon of virtues in an elite crowd of parasitical villains. He deservingly got many coveted laurels all through his stellar career. Yet he refused to display even a semblance of the ego that he was legitimately entitled to in an ‘ego’system where even light weights throw their weight around. An apolitical man, however, it was thanks to him as Prez that an imminent constitutional calamity was averted. But let’s not bring in Signora Sonia either. And finally, look at the irony of us stopping work in the name of paying homage to an incurable workaholic. Would Dr AK have approved?
Reasons why his credentials carry credibility and conviction unlike the corrupt, the callous or the cretin that dominate debate, dictate our daily life and disrupt democracy. Also why we feel the angst that such a genuine leader and mentor was confined to just seminar halls and rubber stamp offices when his services could have been better availed in posts of real worth.
The loss is for posterity because the Maker appears to be running out of the mould and material needed to make such men of mettle.
(e-mail the writer at [email protected])
The article was written after APJ Abdul Kalam’s demise.