Shillong, July 27: Former President A P J Abdul Kalam, the ‘Missile Man’ who came to be known as ‘People’s President’ died after he collapsed during a lecture at the IIM here Monday evening.
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 critical condition following the collapse at around 6.30 pm. Considered the most popular President, Kalam became the 11th head of the state and occupied the post between 2002 and 2007 but lack of consensus denied a second term to a man who came from outside political spectrum.
Meghalaya Governor V Shanmughanathan, who rushed to the hospital on hearing the news of his admission, said Kalam died at 7.45 pm. Despite medical team’s best efforts, he could not be revived. Chief Secretary PBO Warjiri told media outside the hospital that he had spoken to Union home secretary LC Goyal asking for necessary arrangements to be made for carrying Kalam’s body from Guwahati to Delhi Tuesday morning.
“The former President has been admitted to Bethany hospital in critical condition,” M Kharkrang, SP, Khasi Hills said earlier. Doctors from the army hospital and North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences rushed to Bethany hospital but their efforts proved to be of no avail. A seven-day national mourning will be declared by the Centre, Goyal said. Both the houses of Parliament are likely to make obituary references and adjourn as a mark of respect to his memory. PTI
