India mourns the loss of beloved former President Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam, who passed away on July 27, 2015 at the grand age of 83. Abdul Kalam was born into an ordinary family in the southern state of Tamil Nadu in 1931. Despite humble beginnings, he made enormous contributions to India’s progress and development, particularly in the field of aerospace engineering and technology. He was known as the "Missile Man" of India and is responsible for transforming India from a country with little knowledge of rocket science to one of the most successful space-faring nations in the world. Abdul Kalam was also a well-respected scholar, author, and educator. He was India's eleventh President in 2002 and was vastly popular among the Indian people for his down-to-earth manner. Caring and humble in nature, he believed in a policy of inclusion and recognition for all Indians. Abdul Kalam was awarded India's highest civilian award for his services to the country, the Bharat Ratna, in 1997. He will be remembered for his lifelong work towards making India a more progressive and advanced nation. He will be sadly missed.