President Kalam worked as newspaper hawker in school days

New Delhi, Jan 28 (UNI) President APJ Abdul Kalam, who was rejected in his first-ever interview for the job of a pilot, also worked as newspaper hawker in his childhood.

Narrating his childhood experiences in an interview to a private Television channel, the President said he was brought up in an extended joint family with' my father living with his other brothers and sisters and the entire household was managed by my grandmother".

"Those days of 1941 when the second World War was in full swing ..everything was in scarcity... ranging from food items to clothing and all family members had to work hard....And at the age of 10 when I was studying in fifth class. My eleder brother who still surviving at the age of 90 used to be an agent of a newspaper and I used to take delivery of newspapers from the railway station for distribution in the area".

In those difficult days of the family living at an island, Rameshwaram, President Kalam said he was indebted to an able and dedicated mathematics teacher who used to take extra class of five students including him early in the morning but only those students were welcome who had come there after taking bath.

"So, early in the morning my mother would insist that I should take bath to attend the class at 5 O'clock... after one hour I was taken up to a mosque for Namaz and Quran Sharif reading... whole day I was busy.. ".

"At that time, rice was in scarcity and we used to get wheat flour for chappatis".

Then after doing schooling and college, President Kalam said he went to Dehradun for an interview for pilot's job... but he was rejected ...he was much disappointed and sad after that.

"However, I travelled on foot to Rishikesh and Haridwar where I heard discourses from 11th chapter of Geeta interpreted by a saint in Sankrit and my mother tongue Tamil.. It gave a inner strength ..

an innate power... don't get defeated by problems.... don't allow problems to overpower you..... the saint told me that I had many things to do in life and my rejection for the job should never stand in my way..".

In a reply to a question in this context, President Kalam said he had heard from the friends that recent two films... 'Rang De Basanti' and 'Lage Raho Muna Bhai' were good at inculcating the inner strength among the youth particularly. " But myself , I have not watched any film for past fifty years", President Kalam said.

For personal inspiration, President Kalam said he would read atleast two three 'good books' and also write on one or the other subject.

He daily spares at least two hours for reading and writing purpose." I also enjoy Karnataka and Hindustani music daily".

Referring to happiness, President Kalam said "It is state of mind which he gets from sharing money and writing for youths. I have written a book my vision for India-"Mission- 2020'' which aimed at inculcating inner power among the youth and to give them dreams to work on...".

On the eradication of poverty which would make 220 million Indian people blush, now living below the poverty line, President Kalam said we should not go on waiting for the magic band of the government... we all have to work.. farmers have to produce more, bureaucrats have to more responsive to the people, politicians have to be more caring for diverting the maximum resources for people's welfare.. judiciary has to strive for early delivery of justice and industrialists for producing more to take the country's GDP to 12-13 per cent".

President Kalam, was however, satisfied with his five year stint in the highest office of the country and in his message to the youth he said the youngmen and women should reinforce their dreams for building the country as a powerful entity in 21st century.

As far as media is concerned, it should take care of people's problems before celebrating its success, President Kalam said.

UNI