Wings of Fire, published in 1999, tells the story of Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam up to the early 1990s. It begins in Rameswaram, the island temple town where his father owned boats and was close friends with the local priest, and where young Kalam sold newspapers to help the family. Teachers who saw his promise, and his studies of aeronautical engineering at the Madras Institute of Technology, set his direction.
Most of the book covers his professional life: early work on hovercraft, then the Indian Space Research Organisation under Vikram Sarabhai and Satish Dhawan, where he led the SLV-3 satellite launch vehicle project, and later the Defence Research and Development Organisation's integrated guided missile programme that produced Prithvi and Agni. Failures, test explosions and team struggles are described alongside the successes.
Co-written with his colleague Arun Tiwari, the book is plain in style and generous in crediting mentors and co-workers. It became one of the best-selling Indian memoirs, especially among students, because it presents science, hard work and faith as a route out of humble circumstances. Kalam later served as President of India from 2002 to 2007.
Book details
| Author | A. P. J. Abdul Kalam |
|---|---|
| First published | 1999 |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Memoir |
| Type | Non-fiction |
| Pages (approx.) | 180 |
| Setting | Rameswaram, Madras, Thumba, Sriharikota and Hyderabad, 1930s to 1990s |
Themes
- Perseverance
- Mentorship
- Self-reliance in technology
- Humble beginnings
- Leadership
Who should read it
Students and young professionals looking for an inspiring, true story of science and service.