Wings of Fire
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam with Arun Tiwari
“From a small town in Rameswaram to the stars.”
Wings of Fire
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam with Arun Tiwari · 1999
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. His father owned boats and his family was of modest means. He studied physics and then aerospace engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology. He became a leading scientist at DRDO and ISRO, was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1997, and served as the eleventh President of India from 2002 to 2007. Wings of Fire, his autobiography written with Arun Tiwari, was published in 1999. He died on 27 July 2015 while giving a lecture in Shillong.
Kalam describes a childhood shaped by love, simplicity and faith. As a boy, he helped support his family by distributing newspapers. His father taught him the value of honest work, and his teachers encouraged his curiosity. Watching birds fly by the sea, and a teacher's lesson on how birds fly, sparked his dream of flight. Small beginnings did not limit his dreams.
Kalam did not have an easy path. He hoped to become a fighter pilot, but narrowly missed selection by the Indian Air Force. Disappointed, he went to Rishikesh, where he found new peace and purpose. Later at ISRO, he worked under Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan. When the first launch of the SLV-3 rocket failed in 1979, Professor Dhawan faced the press and took responsibility himself. The next year, in 1980, when SLV-3 successfully put the Rohini satellite into orbit, Dhawan let Kalam present the success. Kalam learned what true leadership means.
Kalam later led India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme at DRDO, which developed missiles such as Prithvi and Agni. He writes about teamwork, working with limited resources, and believing in Indian scientists and engineers. He stresses that great work is done by teams, and that a leader must give credit for success and take responsibility for failure.
Kalam's message to young people is to dream big and work hard to make those dreams real. He believed every child, whatever their background, carries a divine fire within. The title reflects this: we are all born with wings of fire, and our task is to give them flight. Whatever your starting point, your dreams are valid. Light your fire, and fly.