Teachers have a great mission to ignite the minds of the young. Not only does the teacher provide knowledge,but the teacher also shapes the student’s life with great dreams and aims.
– Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, my grandfather’s brother, is a guiding light in many people’s lives. My life has been intertwined with the great life of Dr. Kalam for over 30 years. I followed him in going to the same school, college and working in the same cities. I was blessed with the opportunity to see him play multiple roles, including Missile Man and great-grandfather. But one particular role he had a soft corner for was the teacher’s role. He was very happy when he resigned from his position as Principal Scientific Adviser to become a Professor at Anna University. When I met him during that time he was enthusiastic about his plans. I was fortunate to attend his lectures at Madras Institute of Technology, Chennai where I did my Masters in Engineering. But his role as teacher to teach thousands of students including me came at a surprising time. He became President of India and got a chance like never before to perform his role as a teacher. He set a target to himself to reach out to as many students possible from then on.

Grandpa chose various mediums to narrate stories from his life to encourage the students. His speeches often referred to his teachers from his primary school days in Rameswaram. Grandpa remembered his primary school days in 1936 when Muthu Iyer was his teacher. Mr. Iyer was fond of Grandpa due to his diligent efforts in class. Grandpa remembered that when he did not turn up one day, Mr. Iyer visited his home to enquire why teacher Mr. Sivasubramania Iyer played an important role in teaching him about the flight bird that made a whole career for him. There was Rev Iyyadurai Solomon who taught him purity
in life through his life and lifestyle. Grandpa discussed Rev Father Rector Kalathil of St. Joseph’s College, Tiruchirappalli who taught moral science. He used to talk about what makes a good human being. I was fortunate to travel with him when he visited his teacher when he was the President. Later he used all this learning to be a better teacher when he had his chance.

Grandpa used every opportunity to teach. He taught me to write effectively, play host, interact with international dignitaries confidently and also a lot more about technology. He went further to teach my children, his great-grandsons, when time permitted. He often mentioned this saying from an ancient Greek teacher: “Give me a child for seven years; afterwards, let God or Devil take the child. They cannot change the child”.

I learned a lot during my lifetime under his shadow. One page is not enough to write his teachings. Hence I have written and released the book Greatness Unlimited: Learning from the life of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. This book is a tribute to the great teacher, my grandfather. It is an opportunity to spread his teachings. At various stages of my life, he was a guiding light. I hope the readers will benefit from the knowledge I received directly from the Great Soul.

I conclude by giving the eleven-point oath Grandpa administered to teachers. First and foremost, I will love teaching. Teaching will be my soul. I realise that I am responsible for shaping not just students but ignited youths who are the most powerful resource under the
earth, on the earth and above the earth. I will be fully committed to the great mission
of teaching. As a teacher, it will give me great happiness if I can transform an average student of the class to perform exceedingly well. All my actions with my students will be with kindness and affection like a mother, sister, father or brother.
I will organise and conduct my life in such a way that my life itself is a message for my
students. I will encourage my students and children to ask questions and develop the spirit of enquiry, so that they blossom into creative enlightened citizens. I will treat all the students equally and will not support any differentiation on account of religion, community or language. I will continuously build the capacities in teaching so that I can impart quality
education to my students. I will celebrate the success of my students. I realise that by being a teacher, I am making an important contribution to all the national development initiatives. I will constantly endeavour to fill my mind with great thoughts and spread nobility in thinking and action among my students.

Gulaam Khwaja Moinudeen Akpm
The writer is the grand-nephew of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. He had an opportunity to spend time with Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in Rashtrapathi Bhavan and work along with him when he was the 11th President of India. Gulaam is the author of Greatness Unlimited: Learning from the Life of Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. More information can be found from his website www.gkmoinudeen.in .