Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial

By George On

Dr APJ Abdul Kalam National Memorial is situated at Pei Karumbu, Rameswaram, Pamban Island in Ramanathapuram district, Tamilnadu, India.

Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial was inaugurated by the honorable Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, on the second death anniversary of the great leader on 27 July 2017.

Kalam Memorial 4
Exterior of the Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial

The entrance to the museum resembles  “India Gate” in New Delhi, and the backside resembles that of Rashtrapati Bhavan (The official residence of the President of India)

The memorial showcases Dr Kalam’s history. The personal belongings of the late leader are also displayed here. The Statue of the late President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, playing the musical instrument Veena, was also unveiled by the Prime minister of India, on the same day. There are two other silicon statues of Dr Kalam in the presidential suite, in sitting and standing postures.

Replica of missiles and rockets with which Dr Kalam had worked are also on display. Even though photography is strictly prohibited inside the museum building, it is allowed outside, where missiles and rockets are displayed.

The dress Dr. Kalam was wearing on his death, along with the chappal (footwear),  laptop computer, the notebook he used to scribble things on his last day, etc., are on display here. Also displayed are the certificates and awards he received, including Bharat Ratna.

Information on APJ Kalam’s life is depicted through the 500-odd portraits, displayed at the memorial. Acrylic paintings, numbering around 90, are also on display.

Library, planetarium, auditorium, etc, are planned for the second phase of the Kalam memorial, to be completed in the next 18 months or so.


This photo of the Burial Place of APJ Abdul Kalam is courtesy of TripAdvisor.

Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam was the 11th President of India. He was called the ‘Missile Man of India’. Dr A.P.J. Kalam, The Pride Of India, contributed immensely to the defense and missile projects carried out by DRDO (Defense Research & Development Organisation) and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization). Dr Kalam worked for both of these organizations, before becoming the president of India.

Built by the Defense Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) with which Dr Kalam was associated as a key scientist, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam National Memorial is located on the land where the late president’s tomb is. (Dr. Kalam was buried here at Rameswaram in 2015.)

This monument is one of the latest national monuments in India; the other is Shaurya Smarak, the National War Memorial at Bhopal, inaugurated on 14 October 2016.

How Do I Go to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam National Memorial?

Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial is at Rameswaram. Rameswaram is connected to the mainland by Pamban Bridge. There are direct trains to the island from the state capital, Chennai. RMM is the railway station code for Rameswaram.

There is a bus station at Rameswaram, at a distance of two kilometers from Ramanathaswamy temple, a holy pilgrimage site for both Shaivites and Vaishnavites. Rites for their ancestor’s spiritual well-being are conducted at this temple.

The nearest airport to Abdul Kalam National Memorial is Madurai, at around 169 kilometers distance. Tuticorin airport is 192 kilometers from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam National Memorial at Rameswaram.