Context:
Recently, President Droupadi Murmu honoured former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam on his birth anniversary.
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam:
- Born on – 15th October 1931 in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
- Known as the “Missile Man of India” for his work on successful missile programs.
- Served as India’s 11th President from 2002 to 2007.
- Death – 27th July 2015
Contributions:
- Pioneer in the field of Fiberglass Technology
- Project Director for India’s first indigenous Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV-3), which successfully launched Rohini satellite in 1980.
- Chief Executive of Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) and led missile systems weaponization and Pokhran-II nuclear tests.
- Proposed Technology Vision 2020, a national plan for transforming India into a developed nation within 20 years in 1998.
- Developed the affordable ‘Kalam-Raju Stent’ with cardiologist B. Soma Raju.
- Literary Works – Wings of Fire, India 2020 – A Vision for the New Millennium, My Journey and Ignited Minds – Unleashing the Power within India, Indomitable Spirit
- Awards – Received the coveted civilian awards – Padma Bhushan (1981), Padma Vibhushan (1990) and Bharat Ratna (1997)
Source: PIB
Previous Year Question
With reference to Agni-IV Missile, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is a surface-to-surface missile.
2. It is fuelled by liquid propellant only.
3. It can deliver one-tonne nuclear warheads about 7500 km away.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
[UPSC Civil Service Exam – 2014 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a)
Explanation:
Statement 2 is not correct. Agni IV has two stages of Solid Propulsion.
Statement 3 is not correct. AGNI IV has a range of about 4000 km with 1-tonne nuclear head.