My Childhood — Class 9 English (Beehive)
"I was the youngest of three brothers and one sister. I had no special features that distinguished me from my siblings. I had a happy childhood, surrounded by friends and a stable family." — A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
1. About the Chapter
'My Childhood' is an excerpt from 'Wings of Fire' (1999), the autobiography of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam — India's 11th President, 'Missile Man', and one of the most respected scientists of modern India. The chapter focuses on:
- His early years in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
- His family background — a humble Tamil Muslim home
- His Hindu friends and the warmth of communal harmony in his childhood
- Two formative incidents that taught him about India's pluralistic culture
- His introduction to hard work through small jobs during WWII
Why This Chapter Matters
- A first-hand account of Indian pluralism in action
- A profile of one of the most beloved Indian scientists and presidents
- A model of humble origins → national leadership
- A vital chapter on secular India
2. About A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Quick Facts
- Full name: Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam
- Born: 15 October 1931, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu
- Died: 27 July 2015, Shillong, Meghalaya (collapsed while delivering a lecture at IIM Shillong, aged 83)
- Profession: Aerospace engineer, scientist, politician, professor
- Religion: Muslim (but deeply respectful of all religions)
- Marital Status: Unmarried — devoted his life to nation-building
- Title: 'People's President', 'Missile Man of India'
Career
- DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) — early career
- ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) — Project Director of SLV-3
- DRDO again — led India's missile programme (Agni, Prithvi)
- Pokhran-II Nuclear Tests (May 1998) — key scientific organiser
- 11th President of India (2002-2007)
- Visiting Professor at IISc, IITs, Anna University after presidency
Major Honours
- Bharat Ratna (1997)
- Padma Bhushan (1981)
- Padma Vibhushan (1990)
- King Charles II Medal (UK), Hoover Medal (USA), Veer Savarkar Award
Famous Works
- 'Wings of Fire' (1999) — autobiography (this chapter is excerpted)
- 'India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium'
- 'Ignited Minds' (2002)
- 'My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions'
- 'Indomitable Spirit'
Why People Loved Him
- Lived modestly as President — refused special privileges
- Loved children and teachers — his happiest moments were with students
- Vegetarian, simple living
- Inspired millions of students to pursue science and dreams
- Combined deep faith with deep science
3. Setting
- Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu — small pilgrimage island town in southern India
- Time: 1930s and 1940s (Kalam was born 1931)
- WWII era (1939-1945) figures in the chapter
- A society where Hindu temples and Muslim mosques coexisted naturally
4. Family Background
His Parents
- Father — Jainulabdeen: A pious Muslim, owned a boat that carried pilgrims between Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi. Worked closely with the Hindu priests of the Rameswaram temple. Mosque imam in the locality. Devout but not narrow-minded.
- Mother — Ashiamma: Devoted homemaker. Cooked, cared for the family. Provided emotional support. Distant ancestry included Bahadur (a war veteran) — possibly Sufi origins.
Siblings
- Kalam was the youngest of:
- Three brothers: Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar, Mustafa Kalam, Kasim Mohammed
- One sister: Asim Zohra
Family Atmosphere
- Large, close-knit family
- Three generations lived under one roof
- Hospitable home — always feeding extra mouths
- Strict discipline + abundant love
- Religious but tolerant — celebrated all neighbours' festivals
5. Detailed Summary
Part 1 — Birth and Early Years
Kalam was born on 15 October 1931 in the holy island town of Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, into a middle-class Tamil Muslim family. He was the youngest of three brothers and one sister.
His father Jainulabdeen was a man of simple means — owned a small boat that ferried pilgrims between Rameswaram and Dhanushkodi (the southernmost tip). He was also an imam at the local mosque and worked closely with the Hindu temple priests.
His mother Ashiamma ran a modest household. Kalam remembers her cooking — generous quantities of rice, sambar, and chutney — feeding their large family.
Kalam describes himself as "a short boy with rather undistinguished looks". He was the youngest, with three older brothers and a sister. He had no special features that stood out from his siblings.
Part 2 — His Childhood Friends
Kalam grew up with three Hindu friends:
- Ramanadha Sastry — son of Lakshmana Sastry, the head priest of the Rameswaram Temple
- Aravindan — later worked in transport
- Sivaprakasan — later became a railway catering contractor
Despite religious differences, the four boys were inseparable. The chapter highlights:
- They wore similar arabic caps — could not be distinguished by appearance
- They were all Brahmin/Muslim mix but always treated each other as equals
- No one ever made an issue of their different religions
This was Kalam's first lesson in India's composite culture.
Part 3 — WWII and Selling Tamarind Seeds
When World War II broke out (1939-45), Kalam was around 8-9 years old. Suddenly there was a demand for tamarind seeds — used in some war supply.
Kalam saw an opportunity. He collected tamarind seeds and sold them to a provision store on Mosque Street. He earned about one anna a day — his first taste of working life.
Part 4 — Newspaper Distribution
Kalam's cousin Samsuddin distributed newspapers in Rameswaram. The trains stopped at the village briefly. Newspapers were thrown out of the moving train. Samsuddin had to catch them quickly.
When the war effort made the train pass non-stop through Rameswaram (without stopping), Samsuddin needed a helper to catch the newspapers thrown from the moving train.
He hired Kalam for this job. Kalam felt enormous pride earning his own wages — even though it was a small amount. This was his first regular income.
Part 5 — Father's Wisdom
After Kalam's first day of work, his father said something Kalam never forgot:
"My son, the difficulties are part of life. Adversity always presents opportunities for introspection."
Jainulabdeen also taught his children:
- Honesty in dealings
- Service to others
- Tolerance of all religions
- Hard work — every paisa earned through effort is honourable
6. Two Formative Incidents on Communal Harmony
The two most important incidents in the chapter — both directly relevant to India's secular character.
INCIDENT 1 — The New School Teacher
When Kalam was in the fifth standard, a new teacher arrived at his school. He came into class one day and saw Kalam (Muslim) sitting in the front row next to Ramanadha Sastry (Brahmin, son of the temple priest).
The teacher was uncomfortable with this. He asked Kalam to move to the back row — implying that a Muslim should not sit with a Brahmin priest's son.
Both boys felt hurt:
- Kalam felt humiliated
- Ramanadha Sastry felt embarrassed — and his eyes filled with tears
- They both told their parents what happened
When Lakshmana Sastry (Ramanadha's father, the Rameswaram temple high priest) heard this, he was furious.
He summoned the new teacher to his home and rebuked him strongly:
- Religion should NEVER divide children
- Hindu-Muslim friendships are India's strength
- A teacher who poisons young minds has no place in the school
He gave the teacher a choice: Apologise OR leave Rameswaram.
The teacher realised his mistake, apologised, and changed his ways. The incident became a turning point — both for the teacher and for Kalam, who realised early how strong India's secular fabric could be when good people stood up.
INCIDENT 2 — The Science Teacher Sivasubramania Iyer's Wife
Kalam's science teacher Sivasubramania Iyer was a deeply respected, orthodox Brahmin. He believed in inclusion and once invited Kalam home for a meal.
His wife was an orthodox Brahmin and refused to serve food to a Muslim in her kitchen (a deep-rooted custom in some orthodox Brahmin homes of that era).
The teacher was undeterred. He served the food himself to Kalam — in his own kitchen — while his wife watched.
Then he invited Kalam again the next week. This time the wife served Kalam herself — having reflected and changed her view.
This was a quiet but profound moment: an orthodox Brahmin woman's heart changed by her husband's quiet conviction. Kalam never forgot this — it taught him:
- Change is possible
- One person's example can break centuries-old barriers
- India's strength is in tolerance
7. Themes
1. India's Composite Culture
The four childhood friends — Hindu and Muslim — show how naturally Indians from different communities grew up together in pre-Independence India. This is the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb at its purest.
2. Standing Up to Prejudice
Both incidents show someone standing up to communal prejudice:
- Lakshmana Sastry standing up to the new teacher
- Sivasubramania Iyer standing up to his own wife's prejudice
Kalam emphasises: bigotry must be challenged, even within one's own community.
3. The Dignity of Labour
Kalam's first jobs — tamarind seeds, newspaper distribution — taught him the dignity of labour. He took pride in earning his own first paisa.
4. Family Values
The chapter emphasises:
- Father's wisdom: 'Adversity presents opportunities for introspection'
- Mother's love: feeding everyone generously
- Sibling closeness
5. Education and Mentors
- Lakshmana Sastry — moral mentor (defended communal harmony)
- Sivasubramania Iyer — academic mentor (and lived inclusion)
Both teachers shaped Kalam.
6. The Foundations of a Future Leader
This chapter shows the roots of the Kalam India would later know — the humility, the secularism, the hard work, the family values. The Missile Man + People's President was forged in Rameswaram.
8. Key Quotations
"My son, the difficulties are part of life. Adversity always presents opportunities for introspection." — Jainulabdeen (Kalam's father)
"I was a short boy with rather undistinguished looks."
"Despite the obvious religious differences, my three closest friends and I went around together as a band."
"Religion should never divide children. Hindu-Muslim friendships are India's strength." — Lakshmana Sastry (paraphrased)
9. Characters
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Narrator)
- Youngest child, ordinary-looking
- Sensitive, observant, devoted student
- Hard-working from a young age
Jainulabdeen (Father)
- Boat-owner, mosque imam
- Devout but tolerant
- Strict but loving
- Wise — taught Kalam philosophy of life
Ashiamma (Mother)
- Generous homemaker
- Cooked and cared for the large family
- Source of emotional security
Ramanadha Sastry (Friend)
- Hindu, son of Rameswaram temple priest
- Lifelong friend of Kalam
- Suffered alongside Kalam in the school incident
Lakshmana Sastry (Father of Ramanadha)
- Head priest of Rameswaram Temple
- Defender of communal harmony
- Took on the prejudiced teacher
Sivasubramania Iyer (Science Teacher)
- Brahmin, science teacher
- Liberal, inclusive
- Bridged Hindu-Muslim divide in his own home
The New Teacher
- Came with prejudice
- Was reformed by Lakshmana Sastry
- Symbol of how good education can change minds
Samsuddin (Cousin)
- Newspaper distributor
- Gave Kalam his first regular job
10. Literary Features
Genre
- Autobiographical excerpt (from 'Wings of Fire', 1999)
- Memoir / personal essay
Style
- Simple, direct, accessible English
- First-person narration
- Warm, sincere tone
- No literary ornamentation — Kalam writes as he speaks
Tone
- Modest, grateful, thoughtful
- Quietly proud of his roots
- Never bitter (despite encountering prejudice)
Structure
- Loose chronological — childhood → early jobs → key incidents
- Anecdotes that build up character and lessons
Vocabulary
- Reflects Indian context
- Tamil words: anna (currency)
- Religious vocabulary: imam, Brahmin, Mosque Street, temple priest
11. Central Message
- India's diversity is its strength — Hindu-Muslim friendships from childhood are normal and beautiful.
- Stand up against prejudice — wherever you see it, including in your own family.
- Dignity of labour — even small earnings honourably made are sources of pride.
- Family values matter — parents' wisdom shapes a child's character.
- One teacher can transform — both Lakshmana Sastry and Sivasubramania Iyer changed Kalam.
- Roots of greatness — humble origins are not obstacles; they are foundations.
12. Today's Relevance
India in 2026
- Communal harmony under stress in many parts of India
- Kalam's example is a constant reference point for secular Indians
- Schools across India read this chapter for moral education
- His memorial in Rameswaram attracts thousands of visitors annually
Indian Identity
- Kalam represented what India could be at its best:
- Muslim by birth, beloved by all
- Scientist + humanist
- Rural origins + global stature
- Modesty + greatness
For Students
- Adversity is opportunity (father's wisdom)
- Hard work pays
- Friendship transcends religion
- Stand up to prejudice
- Family values are foundational
13. Conclusion
'My Childhood' is more than a memoir — it is a foundational document of Indian secularism, written by one of independent India's most beloved figures. APJ Abdul Kalam's Rameswaram childhood — with its Hindu friends, its hardworking father, its generous mother, its courageous mentors — gives us a model of what India can be.
The two key incidents in the chapter — the new teacher rebuked by Lakshmana Sastry, and the science teacher's wife who changed her mind — are powerful examples of how communal harmony is built one decision at a time, by good people standing up for the right thing.
For Class 9 students in 2026, when communal tensions sometimes flare across India, Kalam's chapter is a gentle, powerful reminder of who we are at our best — and what we owe to the next generation. His life shows that great leaders are made not by power or fame, but by the values they absorb in childhood.
The Missile Man of India began as a short boy with undistinguished looks — and ended as the People's President. His childhood story tells us how.
