Parents not getting 24-hour electricity former President APJ Abdul Kalam's greatest regret

NEW DELHI: For former President A P J Abdul Kalam, the greatest regret in life was not being able to provide facilities like 24-hour electricity to his parents during their lifetime.

Kalam, who says he inherited honesty and self-discipline from his parents, however, is happy that his 99-year-old brother APJ M Maraikayar is getting 24-hour electricity at his residence in Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu, thanks to technology.

"My father (Jainulabudeen) lived 103 years and my mother (Ashiamma) 93 years. My brother now is 99. For my brother I have ensured that he gets 24 hours of electricity even when there is a power cut. I have installed a solar panel," 83-year-old Kalam, who was India's 11th President from 2002-2007, told PTI in an interview.

"But I could not provide such a facility to my parents as technology was not there at that time. This is my biggest regret," he says.

Being youngest in the family, Kalam had a special place in his home. When he was school there used to be no electricity. His house was lit by a kerosene lamp that too between 7 and 9 PM.

His mother, however, specially gave him a small kerosene lamp so that he can study up to 11 PM.

He has come up with a new book "Reignited: Scientific Pathways to a Brighter Future", co-authored by his close aide Srijan Pal Singh in which provides several nuggets of his life besides advice for young people on careers in areas like robotics, aeronautics, neurosciences, pathology, paleontology and material sciences.

Kalam and Singh have been working together for nine years, travelling, meeting children and interacting with them.