Rameswaram: The majestic memorial for the late President and India’s ‘Missile Man’, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam is ready and is all set for a grand inaugural at the hands of the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi at Peykarambu here on July 27.
The memorial has been built near the tomb where Dr Kalam was laid to rest exactly two years ago on that date.
Meanwhile, officials of Revenue, Police, IB, Central security forces, DRDO and other concerned departments held a top-level security review meeting at the premises of the Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Memorial here on Monday, which the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi is slated to inaugurate on July 27. The team inspected the helipad got up near Dr Kalam’s tomb at Peykarumbu and the venue of the public meeting. Earlier, Ramanathapuram district collector Dr S Natarajan welcomed all the officials and led them to the meeting hall in the best traditions of Tamil hospitality.
BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING: Designed and built by the Defence Research and Development Organistion (DRDO) at a cost of about Rs 15 crore, this aesthetically fitting structure with a central domed-hall in memory of Dr Kalam has a pleasing green belt abutting it and set amid coconut and other trees in this pilgrim-island.
While a life-size seven-foot tall bronze statue of Dr Kalam has been placed behind the memorial building, a model of a 45-foot tall four tones weighing ‘Agni-II’ missile, a project with which Dr Kalam was intensely involved when heading the DRDO, has been installed at the rear. This is a huge attraction with the tourists and locals here.
The Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi on the inaugural day, is all set to flag off a ‘Kalam 2020 Science Vehicle’ that day for the benefit of the people at large. This vehicle that can go places is a unique digital resource-based mobile museum, showcasing through exhibits, write-ups and photos the life and times and scientific achievements of Dr Abdul Kalam, including his extensive work at DRDO and during the Pokhran-II nuclear tests.
This ‘Science Vehicle’, after being flagged off by the Prime Minister at Rameswaram will traverse through 17 States including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.
The science vehicle’s ‘yatra’ will culminate at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan in New Delhi on October 15, the birthday of Dr Kalam, according to the late President’s grandnephew Salim. “Members of our extended family and the people of Rameswaram are extremely happy at these initiatives coinciding with the second death anniversary of Dr Kalam,” he added.
PM visit: Social media campaign launched
Aiming to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the temple town of Rameswaram on July 27 a historic one, the State unit of the BJP launched a social media campaign glorifying former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
The PM scheduled to arrive at Rameswaram at about 10.45 am will dedicate the memorial of the People’s President that has been built at Pei Karumbu near Rameswaram by the Defence Research and Development Organisation on July 27, coinciding with Kalam’s second death anniversary, and then proceed to address a public rally at 12 noon. In view of his visit, the BJP launched a social media campaign highlighting the achievements of Kalam and also tweeting Modi’s tributes on the former President.
The party led by its president Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan is making arrangements for the vis-it. According to sources, during his visit, Modi will hoist the national flag in front of Kalam memorial before inauguration.
