Indomitable Spirits - By A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Recently i read this book titled "Indomitable Spirits" written by the former President of India, Mr. A.P.J.Abdul Kalam, better known as the "missile man" of india. So, I decided to share a few of his interesting thoughts on my blog. Many of you may not be able to read his book because of your busy schedules and other problems, so i decided to write its main points for not only my readers but also for myself as i find a lot of things worth remembering in this book.

1) No nation is great or good because parliament enacts this or that but that its men are great or good.

2) Everyone's life is a page in the human history irrespective of the position he/she holds or the work he/she performs.

3) Bhakti is nothing but the devotion we show to the divinity that resides within us.

4) Whenever a mission is in progress, there will always be some problems or failures, but the failures should not become the master of the programme.

5) Transformation is the outcome of a farsighted vision, innovative mind and a guiding spirit.

6) The teacher should teach the students the process of learning and enable them to become lifelong autonomous learners and teach them to continuously practise this trait.

7) Learning needs freedom to think and freedom to imagine and both have to be facilitated by the teacher.

8) "If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters."

9)

When learning is purposeful,

creativity blossoms,

When creativity blossoms,

thinking emanates,

When thinking emanates,

knowledge is fully lit,

When knowledge is lit,

economy flourishes.

10) Education is an endless journey through knowledge and enlightenment.

11) A child, a teenager, an adult and a leader - All facing a situation of human need, but each one reacts differently.

The Child asks, "What can you do for me?"

The teenager says, "I want to do it alone."

The young person proclaims, "Let us do it together."

The leader offers, "What can i do for you?"

Education system has a tremendous responsibility to transform a child into a leader.

12) An ignited mind is the most powerful source on the earth, above the earth and under the earth.

13) Knowledge without action is useless and irrelevant. Knowledge with action brings prosperity.

14)

Learning gives creativity,

creativity leads to thinking,

thinking provides knowledge,

knowledge makes your great.

15) With determined efforts, you can always succeed against established beliefs.

16) Information that is static does not grow.

17) "Even if one is made an outcaste in his field, he should continue to work as not because it is his wish but because it is god's will. So never run away from criticism."

18) "The crowning glory of a nation is its people."

19) "A flower generously distributes prefume and honey. It gives to all, freely of its love and, when its work is done, it falls away quietly. Try to be like the flower, unassuming despite all its qualities."

20)

"Where there is righteousness in the heart,

There is beauty in the character.

When there is beauty in the character,

There is harmony in the home.

When there is harmony in the home,

There is order in the nation.

When there is order in the nation,

There is peace in the world."

21) "Always feel the truth, speak the truth and propagate the truth even when your life is at stake."

22) "Gifts accompany poisnous intentions."

23) "Conscience is a great ledger where our offences are booked and registered."

      "Corruption is an assault on the conscience."

Cowardice asks, 'Is it safe?'

Greed asks, 'Is there any gain in it?'

Vanity asks, 'Can i become great?'

Lust asks, 'Is there any pleasure in it?'

But conscience asks, 'is it right?'

24)

"Ulluvathellam uyarvullal matratu

Tallinum tellamai nirttu."

It means: "Think ever of rising higher. Let it be your only thought. Even if your object be not attained, the thought itself will have raised you."

It is a couplet (or kural) in 'Thirukkural' by the poet-saint Thiruvalluvar written 2200 years ago.

25) "A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle."

26) "Dream - Thought - Action philosophy."

"Dream, dream, dream,

Your dreams will transform into thoughts,

The thoughts will result in actions.

And you will succeed."

27) It is not a disgrace to not reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for.

28) "Information that is static is of no value."

29) "The three tools of learning are lectures, libraries and laboratories."

30) "The nation is bigger than any individual."

31) "A leader gives the credit for success to those who worked for it and absorbs the failures."

32) "If you aspire to achieve great things in life, you need magnanimity."

33) "Power comes from inside."

34) "For those who do ill to you, the best punishment is returning good to them."

35) The FIRST component of INDOMITABLE SPIRIT is that "There must be a vision leading to higher goals of achievement."

      Whatever may be the depth of the river or the lake or the pond, whatever may be the condition of the water, the lily flower always comes out and blossoms. Similarly, if there is a definite determination to achieve a goal, even against insurmountable problems, you will succeed.

36) The SECOND component of INDOMITABLE SPIRIT is "The ability to overcome all hurdles coming in the way of mission accomplishment."

      A successful leader can never be defeated by problems. He overcomes the problems and becomes master of the situation.

37) Perception of disability and impossibility lies only in the mind.