Book Summary: "India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium" by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam & Y. S. Rajan

Brief about the Book:

The 19th century belongs to Europe and the 20th to America, but the 21st century is known to India. In this book, he talks about three visions of India. The first vision was for freedom for all, The Second vision was for the development of India not only in the economics sector but also in all sectors, such as the military, jobs, creativity, etc. The third vision for stand up of India. he says no country respects any other country only strength respects strength.

He says we should build up India. The Author expressed India as a superpower country, India has resources but needs technology to use them properly.

Book publication date: September 2002.

Brief about the Author:

A. P. J. Abdul Kalam:- Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam was the eleventh President of India (2002-2007) and is known as “THE MISSILE MAN OF INDIA” within and outside India.

Being a great Aerospace Scientist, he was a great politician too. Dr Kalam spent his early years in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu. Later he moved to Ramnathpuram and Chennai for higher studies.

He studied physics and aerospace engineering and worked as a scientist at the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

As a human, Dr Kalam has been benevolent throughout his life. We find him keen to learn and grow. He did not have in himself a tinge of pride.

Dr. Kalam possessed a sense of compassion and gratitude for whosoever crossed his path. Not only did science but he also delved into literature.

Dr. Kalam held profound affection for his motherland. The support and blessings of his family, friends and mentors allowed him to step up. He received many prestigious awards including Padma Bhushan and Bharata Ratna Award.

On 27 July 2015, while delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management (Shillong), he collapsed and left for the heavens.

Y.S.RAJAN:- Dr.Yagnaswami Sundara Rajan (Y.S.RAJAN) is a well-recognized authority on Technology Development and Business Management. He has held several senior positions in PRL, ISRO, NNRMS, CII, TIFAC and PTU.

He has made an incredible mark in various fields like Science and Technology, Research and Development, Space Research and Business Management and has contributed to the literary world.

Apart from technical writing, articles and journals, he is also a distinguished poet and writer on social issues. Dr Y.S. Rajan holds the following positions in National International Organisations: Principal Adviser, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

Chairman of the Board, University of Nalanda. Adjunct Professor, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, India, an internationally reputed institution, Vice President, All India Dayanand Anglo-Vedic (DAV) College Managing Committee, a network of high-quality schools (615) and colleges (60) throughout India, Member Senate, BITS, Pilani, Vice President, Forum for Global Knowledge Sharing

India 2020:- Book Review

Chapter 1: Introduction

In his famous speech delivered in Hyderabad, Dr.APJ Abdul Kalam outlines his three visions for his motherland India and pleads for Indians to be involved in the nation-building process and to make India a developed nation.

Why do we need a vision? Kalam answers this question by citing the examples of countries like the USA, Malaysia, Israel and China and points out that they are what they are today because they had a vision and they strived towards it.

Chapter 2: The First Vision: Freedom

In 3000 years of our history, people from all over the world have invaded us, captured our lands and conquered our minds. Yet, we have not conquered anyone. Because, we respect the freedom of others, and that is the reason for his first vision of Freedom.

India got its first vision of this in the Indian Rebellion in the year 1857, when we started the War of Independence. It is this freedom that we must protect our nurture and build on.

Chapter 3: The Second Vision: Development

We have been a developing nation for more than fifty years, and so it is time we see ourselves as a developed nation. In terms of GDP, we are among the top five nations of the world. Our poverty levels are falling. Our achievements are being globally recognised today. Yet we lack the self-confidence to see ourselves as a developed nation.

He envisions India where the national economy of the country is one of the largest in the world; there is upliftment in the general living standards of the common man well above the poverty line including high standards of education, health and above all, national security. According to Kalam, there are four chief areas of development: the people, economy, strategic strength and infrastructure and to achieve all this, technology is the answer.

The role of technology will not only be to provide sophisticated machinery but also to provide materials of basic utility value to the common man at an affordable price. Technology should not only produce goods but also explore ways to reuse by-products to minimize wastage and environmental pollution. Thus technology should not only be for the classes but for the masses.

Chapter 4: Third Vision: India Must Stand Up To The World

Unless India stands up to the world, no one will respect us. Only strength respects strength. We must be strong not only as a military power but also as an economic power. Both must go hand-in-hand.

Chapter 5: The Media’s Obsession With Bad News, Failures And Disasters

Dr.Kalam wonders how the media in India could be so negative. Giving the example of Dr.Sudarshan, who has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit, Dr.Kalam says that there are millions of such achievements in India but our media is only obsessed with the bad news and failures and disasters.

In Tel Aviv, where gory killings, deaths and bombardments take place now and then, the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert land into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to.

Chapter 6: The Nation’s Obsession With Foreign Things

Dr.Kalam is surprised at the people’s obsession with foreign things. We want foreign TVs, foreign T-shirts, and foreign technology. There is an obsession with everything that is imported.

According to Dr Kalam, self-respect comes only with self-reliance. There is conformity in Foreign Countries but Detached in the Motherland. In India, we the people blame the government for being inefficient, the laws for being too old, the municipality for not picking up the garbage etc. But what do we do about it? In Singapore, you don’t throw cigarette butts on the roads. You wouldn’t dare to speed beyond 55mph in Washington and tell the traffic cop about your heavy connections with politics. You wouldn’t spit paan on the streets of Tokyo. When the same Indian can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries, he cannot do that on his own. You will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why can’t you be the same here in India?

Chapter 7: The Easy Way Out: Blame It On The System

We sit back wanting the government to do everything for us, while our contribution is negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place, nor are we going to stop to pick up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin.

We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. When it comes to social issues like women, dowry, girl child etc., we make loud protestations and do the reverse at home.

“I would not like to give any special message to young children because they are born with the message. They are fresh. I would therefore appeal to the parents and teachers not to pollute their fresh minds with our frustrations. If we can instead convey to them a message about a bright future and encourage them, that will be a great service we will be doing to them and also to the country.”

Conclusion:

The foundation for this should be laid at the grassroots level. Kalam shows faith in the young generation by calling them the ignited minds to whom the dream to realize the vision should be entrusted.

We cannot but wholeheartedly agree with the author that to achieve our Vision 2020, we should settle our superficial differences and think and act as Indians. Nobody can take us there but ourselves.

Learning:

The Indian vision: The Struggle For Freedom... this drives home the point of how when the majority of the people come to dream one single dream – the impossible becomes suddenly within reach and feasible.

The mission to spread habits of reading was a trailblazer by Dr Kalam’s vision of India 2020. Let us contribute to his vision by making India read books.

Y S Rajan

Click on the link to buy the book: https://amzn.to/4cXYLe2