NEW DELHI, July 31:
A number of new books by late A P J Abdul Kalam, including a sequel to his ever-popular “Ignited Minds”, are lined up for publication in the next few months.
Puffin Books will publish “My India: Ideas for the Future”, billed as a sequel to “Ignited Minds”. It will be a collection of insightful and thought-provoking speeches from Kalam’s post presidency years.
Organised into seven sections, the speeches in this collection are a roadmap for children, and adults alike, to follow their dreams and contribute to a better India, the publishers said.
Drawn from Kalam’s addresses to parliaments, schools and universities across the world, these speeches include his thoughts on nation building, poverty, failure, science and self-confidence in the 21st century.
Scheduled to be published later this year, “My India: Ideas for the Future” is a book that will inspire, invigorate and empower many generations to come, the publishers said.
Brought out in 2003 by Penguin, “Ignited Minds: Unleashing the Power within India” went on to become a bestseller. The book examines why, given all our skills, resources and talents, we, so obviously capable of being the best, settle so often for the worst.
Kalam offers no formulaic prescription in “Ignited Minds”. Instead, he takes up different issues and themes that struck him on his pilgrimage around the country as he met thousands of school children, teachers, scientists and saints and seers in the course of two years: the necessity for a patriotism that transcends religion and politics; for role models who point out the path to take; and for confidence in ourselves and in our strengths.
Puffin had recently published “Reignited: Scientific Pathways for a Brighter Future”, co-authored by Kalam and his aide Srijan Pal Singh, in which the writers worked to inspire a new generation of Indians in careers in science.
HarperCollins will also be taking through to publication one of Kalam’s last projects, “Advantage India”, co-authored with Singh, which draws upon some remarkable examples from his life to illustrate how India could have a winning edge.
The book will deal with subjects like Make in India, Skill Development, Digital India, Smart Cities project, rural development models and new energy policies.
Known for his visionary ideas grounded in practical experience, Kalam published numerous books including “Wings of Fire”, “Target 3 Billion”, “Life Tree: Poems”, “Mission 2020”, “Beyond 2020” and “Turning Points”, his highly readable account of his presidency.
Written in straight-forward, accessible language, each book shares his passion to help India and Indians dream big, and offers an action plan to help realise these goals.
The power of true spirituality, of faith that inspires good deeds and thoughts, the very special relationship between a teacher and a disciple, all of these are enshrined in “Transcendence”, a book that HarperCollins just published by Kalam, co authored with Arun Tiwari.
The book is about the unique spirituality-science fellowship that was formed between Kalam and Pramukh Swamiji Maharaj, who is one of the most inspiring spiritual figures of modern times and the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
In “The Family and the Nation” (with Acharya Mahapragya), Kalam said how any task of nation building had to begin at an individual’s first training ground, the home. In “A Manifesto for Change” (with V Ponraj), he took up the crucial subject of how we should elect our leaders, and how those we elect should carry out their duties.
Kalam was also reportedly working on a book in Tamil with a vision for the growth of Tamil Nadu and completed seven chapters.
The book was titled “Ennathil Nalamirunthal Kanavu Tamilagam Uruvagum, Puyalai Thandinal Thendral” and seven chapters of it were completed after detailed discussions, co-author of the book and scientific advisor to Kalam when he was President, V Ponraj said.
Says Udayan Mitra, Associate Publisher at Penguin Random House who worked as Kalam’s editor for more than 10 years,
“Kalam managed to inspire the millions of people who met him, listened to his speeches, and read his books – and he ignited their minds.
“Having had the privilege to know Kalam personally and to have published his books for over a decade, I will miss him dearly, as I know the entire nation will. But his dream and his extraordinary personality will live on in his books, and it is in their pages that we will be able to find Kalam in our midst again, and celebrate his vision anew.”
Meanwhile, Kalam’s aide Singh is also mulling an idea of incorporating the unfinished lecture on ‘Creating a Livable Planet Earth’ at IIM-Shillong into a book. (PTI)
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