describe the childhood of APJ Kalam in your own words from beehive book
Answers
Introduction to the Lesson
Abdul Kalam’s biography is titled “Wings of Fire” and the chapter ‘My Childhood’ talks about the childhood of A.P.J Abdul Kalam. He was the President of India and a great scientist too. APJ talks about his upbringing, his parents and siblings. He tells us about his friends and all those things that influenced his childhood.
I WAS born into a middle-class Tamil family in the island town of Rameswaram in the erstwhile Madras State.
A.P.J Abdul Kalam was born into a middle-class Tamil family and his place of birth - Rameswaram is an Island town in the state of Tamil Nadu, in the Bay of Bengal. Today, we know this state as Tamil Nadu but when he was born, at that time the state was known as Madras state.
My father, Jainulabdeen, had neither much formal education nor much wealth; despite these disadvantages, he possessed great innate wisdom and a true generosity of spirit.
innate: inborn; (a quality or feeling) in one’s nature
generosity of spirit: his soul sought to help others who were needy
APJ Abdul Kalam’s father’s name was Jainulabdeen. APJ says that his father was not very rich, he did not have wealth, he was not highly educated but despite these disadvantages, he had some other qualities- he was naturally very wise and was generous too.
He had an ideal helpmate in my mother, Ashiamma.
APJ’s mother’s name was Ashiamma. She used to help his father. She was a great support and help to him.
I do not recall the exact number of people she fed every day, but I am quite certain that far more outsiders ate with us than all the members of our own family put together.
APJ’s mother was also generous and kind hearted. Every day she used to feed a lot of people. She fed a greater number of people from outside than the total number of the members in their family.
I was one of many children — a short boy with rather undistinguished looks, born to tall and handsome parents.
undistinguished: ordinary or common
Abdul Kalam had many siblings and he describes himself that he had short height and common looks, he did not have any exceptional looks. On the contrary, his parents were very tall and handsome. They were good looking. APJ did not inherit their physical qualities.
We lived in our ancestral house, which was built in the middle of the nineteenth century. It was a fairly large pucca house, made of limestone and brick, on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram.
Pucca House means a house made of bricks, cement and limestone.
APJ Abdul Kalam’s ancestral house was very old. It was built in the nineteenth century. It was a pucca house, which was made of bricks and limestone. It is located on the Mosque Street in Rameswaram.
My austere father used to avoid all inessential comforts and luxuries. However, all necessities were provided for, in terms of food, medicine or clothes. In fact, I would say mine was a very secure childhood, both materially and emotionally.
