Abdul Kalam calls for employment generators, not employment seekers

Interaction with students

“What is the one lesson you learnt as a student, teacher, scientist and President of India?” asked a student, AMC Engineering College, Bangalore.  “I will, I have to do many tasks.  During the tasks, I may get some problems, but I will not  allow the problems to be my captain.  I become the captain of the problems, defeat the problems and succeed” said Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, the former President of India.

Another student queried: “I have three role-models in life – Sankaracharya, Swami Vivekananda and the third one is obviously yourselves.  Sir, behind every successful man there is a woman.  The irony is that all the three are bachelors … .“  A power-packed reply from the 83-year old legend in two words amid thunderous applause: “My mother.”

Regarding the expensive proposition of desalination of water as a solution to solve water scarcity raised by yet another student, Dr. Kalam suggested the use of “solar power” to keep it cost-effective.

If there is one man who is respected across all socio-economic strata of society in India, it is our former president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Among the many speeches he delivered in his tenure as the president of the country, this one at AMC Engineering College, Bangalore in particular is powerful and inspiring for the younger student community . While Dr. Kalam needs no introduction, it was refreshing of Dr. T.N. Sreenivasa, the Principal, AMC Engineering College, to title the former President, in his welcome address,  as “the Missile-Man of India”.  

When you listen to Dr. Kalam, it tantamounts to reading a book.  So much is the clarity, so much is the audience-friendly, nay youth-friendly rapport he instantly generates. No wonder, during his term as President, he was affectionately known as the People's President. 

Earlier, in his opening remarks, Dr. Kalam asked the students if they would  go out with confidence when they leave the campus and exhorted the gathering to be “employment generators, not employment seekers.”  Take a vow – ‘I can do it, We can do it, India can do it.’  Dr. Kalam ensured he had the rapt attention of the student-audience till the end of his motivational talk on “Role of Youth in National Building” recently organized by the AMC Engineering College, Bangalore.

Criteria for achievement

Initiating his thoughts on the “ignited minds of the youth is the most powerful resource”,  Dr. Abdul Kalam listed the criteria for achievement.  He recalled his school days in his home-town Rameshwaram about how his teacher, Sivasubramanya Iyer radiated knowledge and led an example of purity of life.  The teacher would make a sketch of birds on the blackboard  and injected the vision “What I should be in life ….  Rocket engineer …. I started flying…”

Dr. Kalam urged the students to  have a great aim in life (small aim is a 'crime', he said with a twinkle), continuously acquire knowledge with hard work and perseverance.   

“I will fly.  I am born with potential, goodness, ideas, dreams, greatness, wings ….. I am not meant for crawling, I will fly” - a deafening applause greeted his inspiring message.

“What worked yesterday, will not work today” he emphasised.  Referring to his favourite book “Empires of the Mind” by Denis Waitley , he sought to highlight the significance of the new world we lived in. The contents of the title is a combination of knowledge, society and leadership.

Role of leadership

Narrating the role of leadership in a knowledge society, Dr. Kalam said,“Yesterday, natural resources were power.  Today it is knowledge.  While hierarchy was the model, it is synergy today. Leaders commanded yesterday, but they empower and coach today. Shareholders were first, now it is customers. Employees are replaced by teams. Seniority is outsmarted by creativity.  Today value is everything, while it was extra yesterday.  Everyone was a competitor, and everyone is a customer. Institutions will value feedback and action based on that.   Institutions have to imbibe the concept of work with integrity and succeed with integrity.” 

He succinctly puts that economic development is powered by competitiveness, which is powered by knowledge, technology, innovation and resource investment, adding that innovation is born out of creativity.  Creativity, he goes on, “comes from beautiful minds.” It can be anywhere and any part of the world.  It is multi-dimensional, has ability to imagine.

Dr. Kalam beautifully summarises “excellence” by saying that “they are not in competition with anyone else, but with themselves.”  “Reflect on what you would like to be remembered for and write down send your ideas me and I shall reply”.

Dr. Kalam also released “Innovision”, the College magazine.

Dr. K.R.Paramahamsa, Chairman, AMC-CITY Group of Institutions explained the salient features of the AMC Engineering College, Bangalore.  Established in the year 1993, AMC has been imparting quality and value-based education.  The institution has state-of-the-art academic environment in engineering and technology discipline.  “We have 55 Doctorates with us and has an impeccable placement record at 95% from 75 companies.  We don’t make any tall claim, but we are growing.  Our fee-structure is reasonable.  We have not taken any donation, loans and manage with our resources” said a beaming Paramahamsa.