Hi,
This week, India as a nation has been going through an emotional experience. People were touched at the depths of their hearts. The whole nation mourned. There was an eerie experience that people have been going though. While they were unable to control their tears on one hand, they also took pride and displayed a sense of belonging. They were happy they had him. They were sad they lost him. They felt empowered because of him. They felt lost without him. As former President of India, APJ Abdul Kala breathed his last on Monday the 27th July 2015 while delivering a speech to the students at IIM Shillong, the whole nation experienced an unexpected rude shock.
I have read the media reports about this experience of his aide Mr. Srijan Pal Singh who travelled with him on his last day. It has been copied and reproduced below from the media reports.
-------------------------------------------------------
Look at What This Man Has Done on His Last Day
(An excerpt from the media reports)
Third, was an experience from the beauty of his humility. We were in a convoy of 6-7 cars. Dr. Kalam and I were in the second car. Ahead us was an open gypsy with three soldiers in it. Two of them were sitting on either side and one lean guy was standing atop, holding his gun. One hour into the road journey, Dr. Kalam said, “Why is he standing? He will get tired. This is like punishment. Can you ask a wireless message to given that he may sit?”
I had to convince him, he has been probably instructed to keep standing for better security. He did not relent. We tried radio messaging, that did not work. For the next 1.5 hours of the journey, he reminded me thrice to see if I can hand signal him to sit down. Finally, realizing there is little we can do – he told me, “I want to meet him and thank him."
Later, when we landed in IIM Shillong, I went inquiring through security people and got hold of the standing guy. I took him inside and Dr. Kalam greeted him. He shook his hand, said thank you buddy. “Are you tired? Would you like something to eat? I am sorry you had to stand so long because of me”. The young lean guard, draped in black cloth, was surprised at the treatment. He lost words, just said, “Sir, aapke liye to 6 ghante bhi khade rahenge”.
-------------------------------------------------------
This is just a minute of reflection of the great personality of APJ Abdul Kalam that made almost every person in this nation of 1.2 billion people relate themselves with him. Being compassionate is being human. This man Kalam lived like a human all through his life. And, for such people there is no death. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam lives on.
With love,
Siva
Source of media report:
No comments:
Post a Comment