https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

IAS Officer Recounts Former President ABJ Abdul Kalam’s Values and Integrity

IAS officer MV Rao recounts an old incident that showcases why former President APJ Abdul Kalam was always considered the 'People's President'
Indian Masterminds Stories

Former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam is renowned for his contributions to the field of science. Serving as India’s President from 2002 to 2007, he holds a place as one of the most beloved presidents in the nation’s history. A recent incident recounted by an IAS officer sheds light on Kalam’s unwavering integrity and values.

MV Rao, the IAS officer who formerly headed NIRD and NFDB, shared the incident on social media. In 2014, during an event where Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam was the chief guest, a company named ‘Saubhagya Wet Grinder’ sponsored the event and presented Kalam with a gift, a wet grinder. However, Kalam respectfully declined the gift, despite the sponsor’s insistence. The sponsor explained that it was merely a grinder and encouraged him to accept it. Kalam, without engaging in further debate, accepted the gift.

The following day, Kalam sent someone from his team to ascertain the market price of the grinder. He then wrote a check from his personal account, covering the market value, and sent it to the company. Curiously, the company chose not to deposit the check.

In response, Kalam persisted. He pursued the matter with his bank, and when the expected deduction didn’t occur within the expected timeframe, he communicated to the company that they should deposit the check. He hinted that if they failed to do so, he would have no choice but to return the grinder.

Kalam’s determination had an impact. The company, recognizing his resolve, deposited the check. Yet, they also preserved a photocopy of the check, framing it and placing it on display as a testament to Kalam’s character.

Here is the officer’s tweet:

Dr. Kalam, affectionately known as the “people’s president,” played a vital role in elevating India’s missile technology to impressive levels. He played a pivotal role in the development of the Agni and Prithvi ballistic missiles, bolstering India’s defense capabilities and solidifying its stature in the global scientific community. His most notable achievement was the SLV-III, India’s inaugural indigenous satellite launch vehicle, a significant milestone in the nation’s pursuit of space exploration.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Bihar Women Teacher
Over 10,000 Women Teachers Get Posting Relief in Bihar: Education Dept Issues Transfer Orders
Bihar Gov MoU with AAI
Air Connectivity in Bihar Gets Wings: Nitish Gov Signs MoU with AAI to Develop Six Regional Airports, ₹150 Cr Allocated for 1st Phase
Mohan Yadav MP CM
“Ek Bagiya Maa Ke Naam” to Launch on August 15: MP CM Dr Mohan Yadav Unveils ₹1,000 Cr Women's Empowerment Project
gujarat-dgp-vikas-sahay-14-nov-24
On Retirement Day, Gujarat DGP Vikas Sahay Gets 6-Month Extension; To Remain in Office Till December 2025 – Details Inside
Sanjeev Chaturvedi
Uttarakhand: ACJM Neha Kushwaha Recuses Herself from IFS Sanjeev Chaturvedi Case Citing Family Ties with CAT Member - Details Inside
CISF
Nari Shakti in Uniform: Women Officers Create History in CISF, 50% of IG Posts Now Held by Women Officers
REC Limited
New Subsidiary: REC Ltd Incorporates Jalna Power Transmission Ltd to Lead Intra-State Transmission Project in Maharashtra
IRS Officer Indian revenue Services
IRS Reshuffle: CBDT Promotes 14 IRS Officers as Chief Commissioners of Income Tax, Appoints New CCITs Effective July 1, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Air India
Is Air India Carrying The Burden of Split Before Privatisation?
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IPS Deepak Meghani
Deepak Meghani, IPS: A Journey of Focus, Failure, and Quiet Discipline
A passionate writer, he has authored several books in Gujarati, ranging from exam strategy guides to...
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Bihar Women Teacher
Over 10,000 Women Teachers Get Posting Relief in Bihar: Education Dept Issues Transfer Orders
Bihar Gov MoU with AAI
Air Connectivity in Bihar Gets Wings: Nitish Gov Signs MoU with AAI to Develop Six Regional Airports, ₹150 Cr Allocated for 1st Phase
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Inderjit Singh Air India
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT