Some forty years ago, the daredevil Biju Patnaik piloted his Kalinga Airways plane into Jakarta to find Indonesian President Sukarno in the first flush of fatherhood. … Biju suggested the Sanskrit name Megawati and thus the daughter of the world’s largest Muslim nation got a Hindu name. for great men, religion is a way of making friends; small people mane religion a fighting tool.

Many years later, after several political upheavals, Megawati Sukarno would become the Vice President and then the President of Indonesia.

Lament, my friend, at the passing away of a generation of politicians with a voice, vision and reach that went far beyond our borders. Lament at our State-sponsored, abnormal and paranoid fixation with a particular country that has blinded us to the rest of the world, including the Third World, which we used to head not so long ago. And weep softly what we have reduced ourselves to the comity of nations. For a large country with a billion people, a country with a thriving industry and a large pool of scientific talent, a country, moreover, that is a nuclear power, India does not count for as much as it should. In terms of our influence in the world affairs, probably no other country is far below its potential as we are.

After Pokhran II, the West speaks about India and Pakistan in the same breath. Is it not in our national interest to demonstrate to the world that we can think of a world beyond Pakistan, that we are a qualitatively better, more mature and secular country with a greater commitment to the values of  democracy and freedom? …

One of the students raised a question: “I have recently come across Dr Amartya Sen’s statement that the nuclear weapon test conducted in May 1998 by India was ill conceived. Dr Amartya Sen is a great economist and a Nobel Laureate who is much respected for his ideas on development. A comment from such a personality cannot be ignored. What is your view on his comment?”

“I acknowledge the greatness of Dr Amartya Sen in the field of economic development and admire his suggestions, such as that thrust must be given to primary education,” I said. “At the same time, it seemed to me that Dr Sen looked at India from a Western perspective. In his view, India should have friendly relationship with all countries to enhance its economic prosperity. … There should be a movement by those who are against the May 1998 test in America and Russia or other Western countries to achieve zero nuclear weapons status. It is essential to remember that two of our neighbouring countries are armed with nuclear weapons and missiles. Can India be a silent spectator?” …

The only way to show the strength of the country is the might to defend it. Strength respects strength and not weakness. …

I call my people to rise to greatness. It is a call to all Indians to rise to their highest capabilities…

One aspect I realize is that the central theme of any religion is spiritual well-being. Indeed it should be understood that the foundation of secularism in India has to be derived from spirituality. …

It is when we accept India in all its splendid glory that, with a shared past as a base, we can look forward to a shared future of peace and prosperity, of creation and abundance.

Source: APJ Abdul Kalam: Ignited Minds—Unleashing the Power within India

Published by Penguin Books 2002