Library was APJ Abdul Kalam's second home, recalls friend

Ooty: While the nation is all set to observe “People’s President” Dr Abdul Kalam’s second death anniversary on Thursday, here in the hills Mr.M.N.Bojan (86), who was Dr Kalam's Ooty friend and his college mate and hostel mate at St. Joseph’s College in Tiruchy, recalled how Dr. Kalam showed extraordinary interest in library culture. He also recalls the moonlight dinners in the hostel which Dr Kalam enjoyed.

Reminiscent about the college days six decades ago, Mr.Bojan, a Badaga man hailing from Kadanadu village who still works as campus adviser at Gurukulam School at Agalar near here, is still the lone known personality in the hills who had spent days with Dr. Kalam in early 1950’s.

Speaking to DC, Mr.Bojan said “Kalam was more studious and always makes it to library during the holidays and leisure hours that, of course, made him enrich his knowledge in science and technology and also on varied subjects. Kalam did not show much interest in going to movies or other entertainments.  He used to be addicted to books and reading.  Of course, this library culture and book reading made him a knowledge power-house that eventfully made him scale new heights in his career,” he noted. Stating that Dr.Kalam used to bring groundnuts and couple of savories from his home whenever he returned to the hostel after the vacation, Mr.Bojan said that Dr Kalam, a strict vegetarian, always relished the moonlight dinner with him and his close friends, which used to be held once in a year in the hostel then.

“Once in a while we used to go to Thirupparaithurai near Trichy and visit the Ramakrishna Tapovanam there.  Dr Kalam used to enjoy the nature sitting along the river bank of the Cauvery at Thirupparaithurai. This apart, a couple of occasions I accompanied Dr Kalam to a couple of print media houses in Chennai as he showed keen interest in knowing how Newspapers are printed,” Mr.Bojan added.