It fills us with pride to remember the humanitarian services of Dr. Kalam as the world’s best student. Bharat Ratna Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s birth anniversary, celebrated on October 15, is observed by the United Nations in its 190 member countries as World Students’ Day. 
This is because Dr. Kalam faced immense challenges, hardships, and poverty during his childhood and youth. In such circumstances, no student could have become the world’s Missile Man or the President of India. Instead, due to stress and difficulties in childhood, children and youth often fall into the trap of drugs and crime.
During his childhood, Dr. Kalam had to face numerous troubles, hardships, and poverty to pursue his education. To pay his school fees, he sold newspapers every day during his childhood. He would wake up at 3 a.m., bathe, and go to his teacher Swami Ji’s house at 4 a.m. to study mathematics, science, and other subjects. His dream was to make India great, powerful, strong, and respected. As he grew up, he aspired to study and achieve something extraordinary for the security, prosperity, and progress of his country.
After retiring from the presidency, he devoted his time to teaching students free of cost. His death occurred at a college in Shillong while raising awareness among students about science and technology, due to a heart attack caused by low blood pressure and sugar levels. However, neither the college students nor teachers provided first aid or CPR. Had proper first aid and CPR been administered at the time, he could have been saved.
Once, students asked him when he felt the greatest happiness, satisfaction, joy, and honor in his life. Dr. Kalam replied that it was when he was walking to the stage to take the oath as President. He had invited not only his parents but also his teachers to the Rashtrapati Bhavan. 
When he placed his head at the feet of his science and mathematics teacher, Swami Ji, to seek blessings, the teacher made him stand, placed a hand on his head, wiped tears from his eyes, and said, “Kalam, you are a great Indian. Mother India will be proud of you.” At that moment, his teacher’s eyes were filled with tears of joy.
India’s Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, inspired him to build missiles for the country’s security and strength, and Dr. Kalam used his knowledge to develop them. When the missiles soared into the sky during testing, many countries around the world congratulated him. He would kiss the tricolor flag on the missiles, wipe tears from his eyes, smile, and thank God.
Due to poverty, hardships, and repeatedly seeking and receiving help, his heart remained soft, and tears often welled up in his eyes. He felt proud that the dream he had in childhood—to make his country secure and powerful—had been fulfilled.
Once, he visited an orphanage for disabled and polio-affected children. He saw that the small children’s legs and feet were fitted with heavy iron calipers. Due to the 7-8 kilogram weight of the calipers, the children faced great difficulty standing and walking. Dr. Kalam thought that something must be done for the comfort of these disabled and polio-affected children. Using the same fabric plastic used to make missiles, he began designing calipers. 
These calipers weighed only 400-500 grams, compared to the earlier ones that weighed 6-7 kilograms. When the children wore these calipers, they started running, dancing, and jumping, as if the shackles on their legs had been removed. The eyes of the children’s mothers and parents filled with tears of joy, and they, along with the children, lay on the ground to thank Dr. Kalam. He received immense satisfaction, happiness, blessings, and gratitude.
He later shared that when he visited the Army Hospital in Konark to meet former Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Shri Sam Manekshaw, he saw tears in Manekshaw’s eyes. Dr. Kalam held his hand and asked if there was any problem or trouble. With tears in his eyes, Shri Manekshaw said, “There is only one pain in my heart, mind, and emotions—that the great President of my country, the head of the three armed forces, the world’s Missile Man, is standing before a soldier, and this soldier, due to illness, cannot even salute his President.” 
Dr. Kalam responded, “A salute should be given to every soldier, police officer, farmer, laborer, and teacher-guru who, with their uniforms and emotions, tirelessly work for the security, honor, prosperity, progress of the country and its citizens, and strive to make children good, kind-hearted human beings and true Indians through their knowledge and ideas.”
Dr. Kalam learned that the pension of Shri Sam Manekshaw had been stopped by a former Prime Minister. He went to Delhi, ensured the pension was restored, and sent a bank draft of 1 crore 20 lakh rupees to Shri Manekshaw. Shri Manekshaw donated the entire amount to the Army Welfare Fund as a gift for the country’s soldiers, with a note that read, “with love and blessings by Dr Abdul Kalam ji.”
Dr. Kalam said that true satisfaction, honor, happiness, and joy in life come not from taking but from giving to the needy—their rights, needs, happiness, prosperity, and honor. If one seeks joy, honor, happiness, blessings, and prayers, they must learn to give and share selflessly, without greed or desires. 
As long as there is life in the body, and one has the ability, capability, knowledge, and skills, efforts should be made to do something good and better for the country, society, and the needy, so that our motherland and country remain healthy, prosperous, secure, respected, and happy forever.
“When there is life in the body, give and share. When the body is no more, who will say, ‘Give?’”