College Canteen's I Dream contest
We have all heard stories of men and women who have risen above their circumstances, who have brought about positive changes in the life of mankind, who have given us a newer understanding of the universe, who have eradicated diseases and helped save millions of lives. There is one common thread running through the lives of all these great people – and that is their courage to dream and perseverance to turn that dream into reality.
Your dreams are important to us. Through I Dream, a contest launched on College Canteen, we aspire to give you, our valuable users the opportunity to have your dreams documented and published on our pages. That, however, only marks the beginning of the journey. We hope that we can give your dreams the attention that they deserve so that the most impressive and deserving of you will have a chance to have your dreams nurtured and turned to reality.
To inspire you and to galvanise you into action, we would like to feature a series on leaders and visionaries who dared to dream and made it big, having persevered through the hard times and having believed in themselves.
College Canteen is an enterprise inspired by the high ideals of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. We would like to start the series with a brief profile of Dr Kalam, who is one of India's most dynamic leaders, a visionary whose life is an inspiration to millions of youngsters across the country.
Dr. Kalam writes in his website about his childhood, about the struggles it involved. He pays tributes to his mother, whose dedication and sacrifices helped transform his destiny. Here is the true story of a young boy from a village in Rameshwaram who rose above his circumstances, inspired by his teachers, driven by his insatiable thirst for knowledge and his determination to succeed against all odds. He is credited for his significant contributions towards the development of India's first indegenously made Satellite Launch Vehicle and for his role in making India a nuclear weapon state, which increased India's global stature and sent a powerful message to its adversaries.
Awarded with the Bharat Ratna, and several other awards, including the Padma Awards, Dr. Kalam who has received honorary doctorates from over thirty universities across the world, served as India's eleventh President.
His Vision 2020 has added immense momentum to India's race to global leadership.
For a magical dose of inspiration and wisdom, visit his website at www.abdulkalam.com.
