Abdul Kalam was a simple man with a great soul: Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand Governor K K Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat today expressed grief at the death of former President A P J Abdul Kalam describing him as a simple man with great soul whose loss is irreparable for the nation.

"Kalam's contribution in the field of science and defence cannot be forgotten. He will continue to inspire the future generations forever," Paul said in a message.

Kalam was always making efforts to ensure participation of youth in the development of the country, he continued adding that the Bharat Ratna awardee had given the concept of Provision of Urban Amenities to Rural Areas (PURA) to upgrade facilities in rural areas.

Paul said when he was the Governor of Meghalaya, Kalam had visited Shillong twice. During his visit to Dehradun in April 2015, Kalam had stayed at the Raj Bhavan and presented Paul with several books autographed by him.

Paul further said that Kalam was a simple man with a great soul who would always be a source of inspiration.

"In his death, we have lost a great man," he said.

Chief Minister Harish Rawat also paid tribute to the former president for the inspirational power of his personality and his invaluable contribution to the development of India's indigenous missile technology.