President Abdul Kalam: The Ideal for the Indian Muslim
In many ways Sri Abdul Kalam is the perfect role model for the Indian Muslim. His intellect was able to clearly understand that India and Hinduism cannot be separated and the age old truths of the Hindu texts are not sectarian but applicable to all human beings.
He was an avid reader of the Bhagavad Gita and often quoted it. In fact he spoke elequently in Rishikesh about how he met Swami Sivananda and how his teaching from the Gita of “Defeat the Deafeatist tendency” has led him all through his life. http://www.yogamag.net/archives/2003/esep03/pres.shtml
In his talk at Belur Math releasing the concise encyclopedia of Hinduism, among other things, he said
“I was always inspired by the spirituals statements of Sri Ramakrishnaji and Swami Vivekananda. Sri Ramakrishnaji says ‘There are pearls in the deep sea, but one must hazard all to find them. If diving once does not bring you pearls, you need not therefore conclude that the sea is without them. Dive again and again. You are sure to be rewarded in the end. So is it with the finding of the Lord in this world.”
http://www.scribd.com/doc/22328994/Dr-Kalams-Talk
But perhaps the greatest praise that he could get in my opinion are from the words of an Indian Muslim, the late Rafiq Zakaria who said ”
“Dr Kalam … every morning he goes through the Gita and is enchanted by it. He is sincerely devoted to Krishna. He recites the Hindu mantras on every occasion. Namaz does not appeal him nor has he ever fasted in the month of Ramzan. He is a strict vegetarian and a life-long brahmachari. His roots are really in Hinduism and he enjoys all the sacred Hindu scriptures. Hence the credit for his elevation, in communal terms, should go to the Hindus; to give it to the Muslims would be wrong. In fact Dr Kalam himself would be happy if he is not described as a Muslim President … “
President Abdul Kalam at Thirupathi
