Quotes and Summary from the book “Ignited Minds“ by APJ Abdul Kalam
- THE DREAM AND THE MESSAGE
“Dream, Dream, Dream
Dreams transform into thoughts
And thoughts results in action.“
Spirituality must be integrated with education. Self-realization is the focus. Each one of us must become aware of our higher self. We are links of a great past to a grand future. We should ignite our dormant inner energy and let it guide our lives. The radiance of such minds embarked on constructive endeavor will bring peace, prosperity and bliss to this nation. - GIVE US A ROLE MODEL
“Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning.” – Mahatma Gandhi
A nation’s wealth is the young generation of the country. When they grow up, who can be the role models? Mother, father and elementary schoolteachers play a very important part as role models. When the child grows up, the role models will be national leaders of quality and integrity in every field including politics, the sciences, technology and industry. - VISIONARY TEACHERS AND SCIENTISTS
“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it, Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” – Goethe
Vision ignites the minds. India needs visionaries of the stature of J.R.D. Tata, Vikram Sarabhai, Satish Dhawan and Dr. Verghese Kurien, to name a few, who can involve an entire generation in mission-driven programmes which benefit the country as a whole. - LEARNING FROM SAINTS AND SEERS
“For the society to prosper there are two important needs. They are: prosperity through wealth generation and cherishing the value system of the people. The combination of the two will make the Nation truly strong and prosperous.”
Our spiritual wisdom has been our strength. We survived as a nation the onslaughts of invaders and the numbing effects of colonialism. We have also learnt to adjust to the rifts and divisions in our own society. But in the process of all the adjustment, we also lowered our aims and expectations. We must regain our broad outlook and draw upon our heritage and wisdom to enrich our lives. The fact that we advance technologically does not preclude spiritual development. We need to home-grow our own model of development based on our inherent strengths. - PATRIOTISM BEYOND POLITICS AND RELIGION
“I do not care for liberation, I would rather go to a hundred thousand hells, ‘doing good to others (silently) like the spring’, this is my religion.” – Swami Vivekananda
There are success stories among failures. There is hope among chaos,, promise among problems. We are more than one billion people with multiple faiths and ideologies. In the absence of a national vision cracks at the seam keep surfacing and make us vulnerable. There is a need to reinforce this seam and amalgamate us into one national forum. - THE KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY
“Wisdom is a weapon to ward off destruction; It is an inner fortress which enemies cannot destroy.” – Thirukkural 421 (200 BC)
Ancient India was a knowledge society that contributed a great deal to civilization. We need to recover that status and become a knowledge power. We must learn from our mistakes to achieve a better standard of life. A developed India will supplant a spirit of defeat with the spirit of victory. - GETTING THE FORCES TOGETHER
“Determine that things can and shall be done, and then we shall find the way.” – Abraham Lincoln
We need to adapt the implementation of our programmes and policies into a mission mode to succeed. Progress cannot be swift and far-reaching if the path is full of potholes. The abundant national resources, human and material, remain to be fully utilized. - BUILDING A NEW STATE
“If I were to look over the whole world to find out the country most richly endowed with all the wealth, power and beauty that nature can bestow-in some parts a very paradise on earth-I should point to India.”– F. Max Muller
The way to development is through purposeful activity. The young especially have to be guided properly, so that their lives find a proper direction and their creativity is allowed to flower. To facilitate this, certain educational reforms must be initiated. With regard to improving the pace of development, Centre-state efforts should be coordinated in a few key areas and efforts across sectors and organizations integrated and taken up in a mission mode. The mindset must change, showing willingness to take pragmatic risks. Success will follow. - TO MY COUNTRYMEN
“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments . . . . My Father, let my country awake. – Rabindranath Tagore
Our intellectual forums, political platforms, academic institutions and chambers of commerce are full of discussion and debate. There is noise, a lot of it in fact. There are endless debates, arguments, hypotheses, and theories, and yet there is little progress. However, the theme of a developed India is not discussed in board rooms and technology conferences. I want all of us-institutions, political parties, industries, communities, families, individuals-at every level to take full responsibility for what is good or bad in our situation, for what we possess and that which we do not. This would mean that we stop blaming others for the circumstances we find ourselves in. Taking responsibility also means a willingness to exercise our abilities to the fullest. This will make us worthy of enjoying the benefits that come with effort. Students should get ready to transform India into a developed nation. Ignite your minds and think big.
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