Book Review - Wings of fire: An Autobiography

Wings of fire: An Autobiography

Author – A P J Abdul Kalam with Arun Tiwari

Wings of Fire is an inspirational autobiography of a common boat-owner’s son who makes us believe that “if you have the fire in you for pursuing your passion, nothing can stop you”. The book tracks the story about the ‘Missile Man’ of India, born in a middle class Tamil family in the town of Rameswaram, raised along with four siblings.

Kalam's quotes

The book depicts Dr. Kalam’s battles, from his early childhood and throughout his professional life. As the saying goes — “Life is a roller-coaster ride” — so does every chapter showcase a different challenge faced by Dr.Kalam at different walks of life. This book throws light on the mindset of the people around him and also shows us the impact his father, elder brother, and teachers had on his life. I especially like the lessons given to him by his dad on ‘Religion and National balance’ and the maturity of his deduction despite his lack of education, as against the mentality of several well educated people we see around us.

Wings of Fire - APJ Kalam

Being a scientist, the story provides a lot of information on aeronautics and throws light on his achievements, giving every Indian a sense of pride. Abdul Kalam’s belief that nothing can stop India from reaching the stars came true due to his efforts. He was a man of his words and he proved himself with his hard work and dedication. Having read this book and watching the recent movie ‘Parmanu – the story of Pokhran’ helped me a lot in connecting the dots.

APJ Kalam - 'Missile Man' of India

“We are all born with a divine fire in us. Our efforts should be to give wings to this fire and fill the world with the glow of its goodness” is a beautiful line from this book which has stayed with me and I have also pinned it on my office desk as a thoughtful reminder to follow Dr.Kalam’s advice.