Telangana Requests Centre to Name DRDO After President Abdul Kalam

Hyderabad:  The Telangana Government has requested the Centre to name the city-based Defence Research and Development Organisation after President APJ Abdul Kalam. Today, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard, said a release issued by his office.

Dr Kalam, who played a pivotal role in the Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998, died in Shillong last week following a massive cardiac arrest.

In his letter, Mr Rao wrote the research done by DRDO has helped the country towards achieving self-reliance in the defence sector.

“Under Kalam’s guidance, when he was Director of DRDO, several research works were done in the organisation enhancing country’s self-reliance in defence systems,” Mr Rao said.

Dr Kalam had put in efforts that ensured setting up of many defence organisations including DRDL, RCI and MIDHANI, among others, in Hyderabad, he said.

“Naming DRDO after Kalam, who had close association with Hyderabad city, would inspire the future generations and also pay rich tributes to Kalam by India’s defence organisation or establishment,” Mr Rao was quoted as saying in the release.

Thousands had gathered on Thursday to bid farewell to Dr Kalam — fondly known as the People’s President — in Rameswaram, the town in Tamil Nadu where he was born.

In his tribute to Dr Kalam, fondly remembered as People’s President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he has lost a “marg darshak”  who took India to new heights in the field of science and technology.

“He was a great scientist who contributed immensely in the field of science and technology as well as space. I have lost a marg darshark,” PM Modi said.

Dr Kalam was awarded the Padma Bhushan and India’s highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna.

Source: PTI

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