How Dr. Abdul Kalam Inspired Students through his speeches

By
taalk team
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The Missile Man of India and the former president of the world’s largest democracy, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, was one of the most successful and inspiring leaders of independent India. His words had the power to ignite the spark of hope even in those who had lost everything and not only this, his words are remembered across the globe by people of all backgrounds especially the youth. He gave hundreds of talks at various places in his lifetime which still stand out in all situations.

One of the best speeches of Mr. Kalam was the one he gave in the European Union in the year 2007. He emphasized on the runner, Kaniyan Poongunranar’s belief that he was a world citizen and every citizen was his own kith and kin. Mr. Kalam said that where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. Where there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nations, there is peace in the world. These heart-touching lines touched the souls of all the EU members present there.

In one of his speeches at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras in 2010, he shared his experience with the 11 million young people he had come across in a decade’s time. He said that every youth wants to be unique and that is YOU. But the world around us is striving every day to make you a common person. Being like everyone else is not at all satisfying in the long run. People tend to regret that they couldn’t be unique and achieve greater heights in life. Dr Abdul Kalam envisioned before the batch of students the perspective of the ‘Evolution of the unique YOU’.

Dr Kalam always insisted the younger generation to work with their full heart towards anything that they wanted to achieve. He said that one might achieve success while having worked with half-heart but bitterness keeps breeding all the time. He is remembered by the younger generation as one of those leaders who gave them a safer and brighter India coupled with economic and social growth. He believed in the importance of a father, mother, and teacher in the nurturing of a corruption-free India as these are the people who develop the country’s future.

He taught the youth to not only handle success but also how to handle failures. He said that the management of the failure is very important as there will be problems and failures in whatever one does. According to him, learning leads to creativity, creativity leads to thinking, thinking provides knowledge and knowledge makes you successful. The ones who dare to dream the impossible are the ones who break the chains of all the human limitations. Although being from a science background, he also gave equal importance to all the courses of study and profession and he believed that one who can think and work beyond the imaginations are the ones who achieve the actual success in life. Mr. Kalam never failed to ignite hope and give motivation and strength to the young.

Here are some inspiring quotes by Dr. Kalam

  • You have to dream before your dreams can come true.
  • Excellence is a continuous process and not an accident.
  • Life is a difficult game. You can win it only by retaining your birthright to be a person.
  • Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success.
  • We will be remembered only if we give to our younger generation a prosperous and safe India, resulting out of economic prosperity coupled with civilizational heritage.
  • Those who cannot work with their hearts achieve but a hollow, half-hearted success that breeds bitterness all around.
  • Educationists should build the capacities of the spirit of inquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among students and become their role model.
  • Look at the sky. We are not alone. The whole universe is friendly to us and conspires only to give the best to those who dream and work.
  • If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher.
  • My message, especially to young people is to have courage to think differently, courage to invent, to travel the unexplored path, courage to discover the impossible and to conquer the problems and succeed. These are great qualities that they must work towards. This is my message to the young people.

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s life and words are a beacon of inspiration for students everywhere. He taught us that dreams are the foundation of achievement and that perseverance, creativity, and integrity are the keys to unlocking our potential. As you embark on your journey, remember his advice to dream big, think differently, and work diligently towards your goals. Embrace challenges as opportunities for growth, and let your unique light shine brightly in the world. In doing so, you not only honor his legacy but also contribute to a future filled with innovation, harmony, and success.

Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam: The Original Startup Mentor We All Miss
We often look to Silicon Valley founders and TED speakers for entrepreneurial wisdom. But one of the most powerful startup mentors India has ever had didn’t raise venture capital or launch a unicorn.

He launched rockets.
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam — scientist, teacher, and the “People’s President” — may not have worn a hoodie or pitched on Shark Tank, but his words have fueled more entrepreneurial journeys than any growth hacker ever could.

Here’s why his timeless wisdom still hits home, especially if you’re building something bold.

Dream Like a Founder

“You have to dream before your dreams can come true.”

That line? It’s basically the foundation of every startup deck ever made. Dr. Kalam wasn’t just urging kids to dream — he was teaching them to envision possibility. Because behind every unicorn or world-changing product is someone who simply dared to imagine it first.

Dare to Be Different

In a world chasing trends and templates, Dr. Kalam asked us to fight “the hardest battle — to be you.” For startups, that’s everything. Your differentiation is your moat. Your unique perspective is your power.

He gave us permission to be original — and in the startup world, original wins.

Embrace the Messy Middle

Startup life isn’t a highlight reel. It’s uncertainty, late nights, rejections, pivots, and sometimes… failure.

Dr. Kalam reframed it beautifully:

“FAIL = First Attempt In Learning.”
What a line.

This mindset — turning stumbles into stepping stones — is what builds resilient entrepreneurs. He didn’t glorify failure. He normalized learning from it.

Fuel with Creativity

Dr. Kalam believed learning leads to creativity, and creativity unlocks greatness. Sounds familiar? That’s the DNA of innovation.

The best startups don’t follow the script. They rewrite it.

If you’re building something out of nothing, his words remind you: being curious, imaginative, and slightly unreasonable is how magic happens.

Build for Purpose, Not Just Profit

Dr. Kalam didn’t talk about valuation. He talked about value.

He wanted students to become “employment generators, not seekers.” That hits different, doesn’t it?

Startups with purpose — the ones solving real-world problems — don’t just scale, they stick. They build communities. They change lives. They reflect the very India Dr. Kalam dreamed of.

Final Taalk: The Startup Spirit of Kalam Lives On

Dr. Kalam may never have spoken at a startup summit or invested in a SaaS tool. But he gave us something better — belief.

Belief that your background doesn’t limit your future. Belief that dreaming is not naive — it’s necessary. Belief that you can fail, fall, and still fly.

So if you’re stuck in your startup story today — remember his.

From a newspaper boy to the Missile Man of India. From humble roots to a national hero.

You’ve got this. Go build. Go dream. And when it gets hard (because it will), just whisper to yourself:

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

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