Family members pay tribute to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on his 88th birth anniversary at his memorial

Former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam's family members congregated here at the Kalam Memorial in Pakarumpu area of the city on Tuesday to pay their tribute to India's 'Missile Man' on his 88th birth anniversary.

His family members headed by Kalam's elder brother Muthumeeran Maraikayar also performed a religious ritual at the Kalam Memorial.

The Lead India Foundation of the USA presented the Global Peace Honour posthumously to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam on this occasion. The chairman of the foundation Harikishan Eppanapally handed over the award to the former President's elder brother Maraikayar.

"I am honoured and privileged to be at Rameswaram for the 88th birth anniversary of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. His mission was to transform youth into responsible citizens and also to see India as a developed nation by 2020. He created the vision 2020 documented for the government of India," said Eppanapally.

"His dream was to provide affordable quality healthcare and education to the people. We offered the Global Peace Honour posthumously to Dr Kalam. This memento would be kept permanently at the 'samadhi' here," he added.