apj@abdulkalam.com - an inspiring email ID for millions of fans
Kochi
(Kerala),
July
28:
India's
most-sought
after
email
ID
--
[email protected]
--
will
now
go
silent.
Over
the
year,
this
email
acted
as
an
inspiring
channel
for
millions
of
followers
and
well-wishers
of
former
President
Dr
A
P
J
Abdul
Kalam,
who
passed
away
in
Shillong
yesterday.
For
over
a
decade,
www.abdulkalam.com
was
the
address
for
Dr
Kalam's
followers
to
get
connected
with
him.
Managed
by
one
of
his
trusted
aides
V
Ponraj,
this
website
virtually
became
a
one-stop
window
for
all
devotees
of
the
Missile
Man
to
get
an
update
on
what
he
spoke,
what
he
thought
and
what
he
wanted.
Even during his Presidential days, despite having an official Rashtrapathi Bhavan website and email ID, Dr Kalam ensured that [email protected] was active throughout his tenure (2002 to 2007).
Dr Kalam never disappointed his followers and sat through late nights to read all the emails.
He replied to all emails that were to-the-point and with clarity content. The rest would be passed on to his aides for necessary action.
"You email to me, I say," was his standard reply to students and journalists alike.
Once, when this writer became impatient after he wanted an interview of his withheld, owing to one of his relatives falling ill, Dr Kalam told over phone: "No one will steal my answers, I say. I don't want media interviews when a family member is hospitalized."
Months later came the green signal came and the interview was published in OneIndia. (Read: Oneindia Exclusive: Kalam's message to youth - 'I reached the destination, my mission']
During a recent meeting with OneIndia Editor A K Khan, Dr Kalam was inspired to hear that the news portal had several language verticals.
"You must email me some of the inspiring stories you fellows publish," he said. And when the links were emailed, he ensured that some of them were tweeted from his handle.
(The writer is a seasoned aerospace, defence journalist in India and currently the Consultant Editor (Defence) with OneIndia. He has been a close associate of Dr Kalam for the past two decades. He tweets @writetake.)
OneIndia News