'Luminosity of Abdul Kalam's life will shine forever'

V Shankar, President of Shanmukhananda Sabha and South Indian Education Society (SIES), remembers Dr APJ Abdul Kalam stating that when he was a boy of 8 years, his father, who was elected the municipal chairman of Rameswaram, went for namaz

V Shankar, President of Shanmukhananda Sabha and South Indian Education Society (SIES), remembers Dr APJ Abdul Kalam stating that when he was a boy of 8 years, his father, who was elected the municipal chairman of Rameswaram, went for namaz. A man came to his house and gave Kalam a silver bowl and asked him to hand it over to his father. Without knowing what it was, Kalam accepted it and kept it inside. His mother was also praying in the house and so did not pay heed to the visitor.

When his father returned after some time, Kalam handed over the bowl to him. The very next minute, he got a slap from his father who told him, "From this minute you should not take anything from anyone and this beating should be a lesson to you." That was the first and last time Kalam's father slapped him.

Kalam later told the students about this. He said the easiest way to root out corruption is to teach the unintended minds in every house to prevent corruption by their parents. If they limit their wants, their parents need not expand their desire to accumulate wealth unethically.

Shankar said Kalam died doing what he liked best all his life - lecturing students. "Darkness is momentary but the luminosity of his life will shine forever," he said.

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