Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam was a great scientist, an inspiring leader and, above all, an extraordinary human being, who came to be known as 'People's President' died on Monday after he collapsed during a lecture at the IIM in Shillong on Monday evening.  He touched the lives of everyone who worked with him. I recall the time we were preparing to test the Agni technology demonstrator in 1989.

Kalam, who would have turned 84 in October, was confirmed dead more than two hours after he was wheeled into the ICU of Bethany hospital in a critical condition following the collapse at around 6.30 pm.