Rameswaram: The memorial for People’s President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam is taking a firm shape at his final resting place in Pei Karumbu here with workers racing against time for its scheduled formal inauguration on July 27, 2017.
The Phase-1work of the Rs 15-core Dr A P J Abdul Kalam National Memorial is being executed by Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Civil Works and Estates (CW&E) wing.
The construction material and other accessories for the memorial are being shipped to Rameswaram virtually from every part of India, barring Kerala. The crafted front doors are from Thanjavur; stone claddings from Jaisalmer and Agra; stone pillars from Bengaluru; marbles from Karnataka and murals from Hyderabad, Shanti Niketan, Kolkatta and Chennai to name a few.
In addition to local labourers, there are many from Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Chennai, Andhra Pradesh among others.
Around 500 workers are being employed by New Delhi-based Parnika Commercial Estates, who won the contract to build the memorial. Hyderabad-based S.S. Infrastructure Consultants are being roped in as architecture experts for the project.
The memorial is being built on the inspiration drawn from many national landmarks. The front entrance looks similar to India Gate, while the two domes are on the lines of Rahstrapati Bhavan.
The entire memorial is under 24x7 surveillance, with cameras installed all over, even on the highway overlooking the structure. The digital inputs can be monitored on real time from DRDO Headquarters..
The memorial will have four main halls each depicting the life and times of Dr Kalam. As per the current plan, Hall-1 would focus on his childhood and educational phase, Hall-2 the Presidential days, including address to Parliament and UN Council, Hall-3 his ISRO and DRDO days and Hall-4 his post-Presidential days, till he breathed last at Shillong.
There will be a separate section to exhibit some of the personnel belongings of Dr Kalam, including his famous Rudra Veena, G-suit he wore during his Su-30 MKI flight and numerous awards he received. Twelve walls are being set aside for murals and paintings.
Ajai Singh, Chief Executive, CW&E, DRDO is the man who is leading a small team of officers, who had interacted with Dr Kalam during various stages of their career.
“This is a project close to our heart. There is love and passion in every brick you see here. Dr Kalam dedicated his life to this nation and we are blessed to be chosen to build this national monument in his memory,” says Ajai, who has executed many construction marvels for DRDO. His sentiments were echoed by Col B Choubey (Retd), CCE, DRDO.
Interestingly, the architectural team has done Sun-mapping that enables rays to fall directly on to Dr Kalam’s kabr twice a year, on October 15 (birthday) and July 27 (death anniversary).
Sheik Dawood, grandson of Dr Kalam told Mathrubhumi on Sunday that the memorial would inspire many generations to come.
“Finally, a befitting memorial is getting ready. For us this is an emotional monument and we are confident that our ideas too would find a place when it takes the final shape,” Dawood, who is also a trustee of Kalam Foundation, said.
“We also want to thank millions of people who joined the #Justice4GuruKalam campaign, seeking an early completion of the memorial,” he added.
(The writer is a Content Consultant with Mathrubhumi Online (English) and tweets @writetake.)
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