Prime Minister Modi Inaugurates A P J Abdul Kalam’s Memorial In Rameswaram

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Dr A P J Abdul Kalam's memorial in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu today (27 July) and will attend several other programmes, marking the second death anniversary of the former president.

Modi will unveil a statue of Dr Kalam, and will offer a floral tribute as well as interact with Kalam’s family members. The Prime Minister will hoist the national flag at the memorial designed and built by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in Pei Karumbu, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The 24/7 construction of the memorial started in November 2016, and has been completed in less than a year. About 450 workers from Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Bihar and seven other states across India built the memorial, the idea for which was born in October last year, and entrusted to a committee of Union ministers like Venkaiah Naidu, Manohar Parrikar and Pon Radhakrishnan and former chief election commissioner N Gopalaswamy, to carry it forward.

The monument constructed with granite stones from Agra, Krishnagiri and Rajasthan, has been built with advanced technology that will protect the seaside structure from any saline damage.

Rising amid a landscaped environ, the monument features four rooms measuring 50 by 50 feet in area, depicts the life and times of Dr Kalam. It houses 95 paintings portraying Kalam’s interaction with students and his address to the United Nations, as well as two of his silicon statues. Artist A P Sridhar and his 12-member team have put together the paintings that capture Kalam’s life – from his childhood in Rameswaram till he became president. Special materials have been used to preserve the paintings that will be exposed to sea breeze, said Sridhar. Two hundred rare photographs have been housed in the building.

A separate structure spread over a 17-metre area housing Kalam’s remains will serve as a meditation hall for visitors. The building’s 500-kilogram front door is adorned with decorative Rajasthani paints and sports a Karaikudi Chettinad architecture. The architects have drawn inspiration from the designs of national landmarks for the threshold that resembles the India Gate, while two domes in the centre are on the lines of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Behind the memorial building, a seven-foot life-size bronze statue of Dr Kalam has been unveiled. A 45-foot tall prototype of ‘Agni-II’ missile, a project that was close to Kalam's heart, has also been installed at the rear of the memorial.

A separate section has been dedicated to exhibit the few personal belongings of Dr Kalam, including his famous Rudra Veena, G-suit he wore during his Su-30 MKI flight and numerous awards he received.

The Prime Minister will also flag off 'Kalam Sandesh Vahini', an exhibition bus, which would travel across various states of the country and reach Rashtrapati Bhavan on 15 October, which marks the birth anniversary of the former President.

The Prime Minister will also address a public rally at Mandapam and will inaugurate a number of welfare measures. (ANI)