My Childhood” is an extract taken from the autobiographical book, ‘Wings of Fire’ by A.P.J.Abdul Kalam. Here Dr. Kalam who is one of the greatest scientists of India and also the 14th President of India gives an account of his childhood days. His journey from a middle-class family in Rameswaram to the President’s house has not been a smooth ride. He worked hard and faced all the challenges of life. This great scientist and the missile man of India was born in a middle-class Muslim family in 1931 in the island town of Rameswaram, Tamilnadu. In his childhood, he was greatly influenced by his parents, his teachers, and his friends. His father, Jainulabdeen, was not much educated but he was a very generous and kind person. He was not rich but provided a secure childhood to Abdul and his brothers and sisters. Abdul inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father and faith in goodness and deep kindness from his mother.

Kalam earned his first wages by working as a helping hand to his cousin, Samsuddin, who distributed newspapers in Rameswaram.

In his childhood, he had three close friends- Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindam and Sivaprakashan. Once when he was in the fifth standard, a new teacher asked him not to sit in the front row along with the high caste Brahmin boys. Abdul found Ramanadha Sastry weeping as he went to the last row. This made a lasting impression on Abdul.

Abdul was also greatly influenced by his science teacher, Sivasubramania Iyer. He learned the lesson of breaking social barriers from him. Iyer invited him to his home for a meal. His wife was an orthodox Brahmin who refused to serve food to a Muslim boy in her so-called ritually pure kitchen. Iyer served him with his own hand and sat down beside him to eat his meal. He convinced his wife to serve a meal with her own hands and thus was successful in changing the conservative attitude of his wife.

For higher education, he sought permission from his father to leave Rameswaram and study at the district headquarters in Ramanathapuram. He said, “Abdul! I know you have to go away to grow. Does the seagull not fly across the sun, alone and without a nest?” To his hesitant mother, quoting Khalil Gibran, he said, “Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts.”