Late former President Abdul Kalam had special association with Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Former President A P J Abdul Kalam, who passed away after a massive cardiac arrest, had a special association with Hyderabad, where he worked on several missile development projects and defence research.

He was director of the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) since 1982 and led the prestigious Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

He led the successful launch of prestigious missiles like Prithvi, Agni, Akash, Trishul and Nag which have become household names in the country and made it a missile power of international reckoning.

The 'missile man', as he is hailed, was also instrumental in setting up the Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in the city and used to work for long hours in pursuit of excellence.

The former President, who is hailed as the "people's president", wanted to see that the technological advancements help the patients in medical care.

He was instrumental in developing a coronary stent with renowned cardiologist in the city B Soma Raju and the stent came to be known as the "Kalam-Raju" stent.

Kalam had visited the city many times after becoming President and also after demitting the office to interact with the scientific community, medical professionals and students of various educational institutions.