Thinking about the Text

I. Answer in one or two sentences

1. Where was Abdul Kalam’s house?

Abdul Kalam’s house was on Mosque Street in Rameswaram. It was a large pucca house made of limestone and brick.

2. What do you think Dinamani is the name of? Give a reason.

Dinamani was the name of a newspaper because Abdul Kalam tried to find news about the Second World War in its headlines.

3. Who were Abdul Kalam’s school friends? What did they later become?

His school friends were Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan.

• Ramanadha Sastry became the priest of the Rameswaram temple.

• Aravindan arranged transport for pilgrims.

• Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways.

4. How did Abdul Kalam earn his first wages?

He helped his cousin Samsuddin catch newspaper bundles thrown from a moving train. In this way, he earned his first wages.

5. Had he earned any money before that? In what way?

Yes, he had earned money before that. He collected tamarind seeds and sold them to a provision shop for one anna a day.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words)

1. How does the author describe his father, mother and himself? Answer:

(i)His father, Jainulabdeen, had little formal education and wealth, but he was wise, honest, generous and self-disciplined. He lived a simple life.

(ii) His mother: Ashiamma was kind, caring and generous. She fed many outsiders every day along with her family members.

(iii) Himself: Abdul Kalam describes himself as a short boy with ordinary looks. He was born to tall and handsome parents.

2. What characteristics does he say he inherited from his parents?

Answer: Kalam inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father, and faith in goodness and deep kindness from his mother.

III. Long-answer questions

1. Social groups in Rameswaram

(i)Which social groups does the author mention? Were they easily identifiable?

The author mentions Hindus, especially orthodox Hindu Brahmins, and Muslims. They could be identified by their dress. Abdul Kalam was wearing a Muslim-identifying cap. Ramanadha Sastry was wearing the sacred thread of a Brahmin.

(ii) Did they only notice their differences, or did they share friendships and experiences?

The children did not feel any religious differences among themselves. Abdul Kalam had three close Hindu friends. His mother and grandmother told stories from both the Ramayana and the life of the Prophet.

During the Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam ceremony, Kalam’s Muslim family arranged boats to carry the temple idols to the marriage site. Thus, Hindus and Muslims naturally shared friendships, traditions and experiences.

(iii) Who created differences, and who tried to bridge them?

The new schoolteacher and Sivasubramania Iyer’s wife were initially conscious of religious differences. The new teacher separated Kalam from Ramanadha Sastry, while Iyer’s wife initially refused to serve Kalam food.

Lakshmana Sastry and Sivasubramania Iyer tried to bridge these differences. Lakshmana Sastry corrected the teacher, and Iyer invited Kalam to his home and served him food himself.

(iv) Narrate two incidents showing how differences were created and resolved.

The new teacher asked Kalam to sit on the back bench because a Muslim boy was sitting beside a Hindu priest’s son. Lakshmana Sastry strongly opposed the teacher’s behaviour. The teacher regretted his action and changed his attitude.

In another incident, Sivasubramania Iyer’s wife refused to serve Kalam in her kitchen because he was a Muslim. Iyer served Kalam himself without becoming angry. When Kalam visited again, Iyer’s wife welcomed him into the kitchen and served him food herself.

These incidents show that people can change their attitudes through courage, good examples and proper guidance.

2. Leaving Rameswaram

(i)Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?

Abdul Kalam wished to leave Rameswaram so that he could pursue his studies at Ramanathapuram, the district headquarters. He wanted to get a better education and go forward in life.

(ii) What did his father say?

His father permitted him and said, “I know you have to go away to grow.” He compared Kalam to a seagull that flies alone across the sun without a nest.

(iii) What do his father’s words mean?

His father meant that children must become independent and leave home to achieve their goals. Parents can give their children love, but they should not control their thoughts and future.

He said these words to encourage Kalam and comfort his hesitant mother.