Chapter:6- My Childhood
Author: Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
Summary (English)
"My Childhood" is an autobiographical account by Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. It describes his early life in Rameswaram, a small island town in Tamil Nadu. Kalam was born into a simple but respected Muslim family. His father, Jainulabdeen, was an honest, wise and generous man, while his mother, Ashiamma, was kind and caring.
Although the family was not wealthy, Kalam's parents provided him with love, discipline and moral values. During the Second World War, Kalam earned his first wages by helping his cousin Shamsuddin distribute newspapers.
Kalam had three close friends—Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan. They belonged to orthodox Hindu families, but religion never came between their friendship.
One day, a new teacher asked Kalam to sit on the back bench because he was a Muslim. This deeply hurt both Kalam and his friend Ramanadha Sastry. Later, Ramanadha's father, Lakshmana Sastry, strongly opposed the teacher's behaviour and asked him to correct his mistake.
Another teacher, Sivasubramania Iyer, encouraged Kalam to overcome social barriers and inspired him to dream big. When Kalam wished to leave Rameswaram for higher education, his father lovingly encouraged him to follow his dreams. This chapter teaches the values of honesty, hard work, equality, religious harmony and determination.
সাৰাংশ (Assamese)
"মাই চাইল্ডহুড" হৈছে ড° এ. পি. জে. আব্দুল কালামৰ আত্মজীৱনীৰ এটা অংশ। ইয়াত তেওঁ তামিলনাডুৰ ৰামেশ্বৰমত কটোৱা শৈশৱৰ স্মৃতি বৰ্ণনা কৰিছে।
কালাম এজন সাধাৰণ কিন্তু সন্মানীয় মুছলমান পৰিয়ালত জন্মগ্ৰহণ কৰিছিল। তেওঁৰ দেউতাক জৈনুলাব্দীন আছিল সৎ, জ্ঞানী আৰু উদাৰ ব্যক্তি। মাক আশিয়াম্মা আছিল অতি মৰমীয়াল আৰু দয়ালু।
দ্বিতীয় বিশ্বযুদ্ধৰ সময়ত কালামে নিজৰ আত্মীয় শামছুদ্দীনৰ সৈতে বাতৰি কাকত বিলাই প্ৰথম উপাৰ্জন কৰিছিল। তেওঁৰ ঘনিষ্ঠ বন্ধু আছিল ৰামানাধ শাস্ত্ৰী, আৰবিন্দন আৰু শিৱপ্ৰকাশন। যদিও তেওঁলোক বিভিন্ন ধৰ্মৰ আছিল, তথাপিও তেওঁলোকৰ মাজত গভীৰ বন্ধুত্ব আছিল।
এজন নতুন শিক্ষকে কালামক মুছলমান বুলি পিছৰ বেঞ্চত বহিবলৈ কৈছিল। এই ঘটনাই সকলোকে কষ্ট দিছিল। পিছত ৰামানাধ শাস্ত্ৰীৰ পিতৃ লক্ষ্মণ শাস্ত্ৰীয়ে শিক্ষকজনক নিজৰ ভুল শুধৰাবলৈ বাধ্য কৰে।
আন এজন শিক্ষক শিৱসুব্ৰমণিয়ম আয়াৰে কালামক জীৱনত ডাঙৰ সপোন দেখিবলৈ অনুপ্ৰেৰণা দিছিল। উচ্চ শিক্ষাৰ বাবে ৰামেশ্বৰম এৰাৰ সময়ত কালামৰ দেউতাকে তেওঁক সাহস আৰু আশীৰ্বাদ দিছিল। এই অধ্যায়টোৱে সততা, পৰিশ্ৰম, ধৰ্মীয় সম্প্ৰীতি আৰু মানৱীয় মূল্যবোধৰ শিক্ষা দিয়ে।
Word Meanings (English → Assamese)
| Word | Meaning (Assamese) |
|---|---|
| Ancestral | পৈতৃক |
| Austere | সৰল, কঠোৰ জীৱনযাপন কৰা |
| Generosity | উদাৰতা |
| Orthodox | ৰক্ষণশীল |
| Priest | পুৰোহিত |
| Inherited | উত্তৰাধিকাৰসূত্ৰে পোৱা |
| Segregation | পৃথকীকৰণ |
| Communal | সাম্প্ৰদায়িক |
| Dignity | মৰ্যাদা |
| Destiny | ভাগ্য |
| Curiosity | কৌতূহল |
| Harmony | সম্প্ৰীতি |
| Companion | সহচৰ |
| Conviction | দৃঢ় বিশ্বাস |
| Compassion | সহানুভূতি |
Thinking about the Text
Q1. Where was Abdul Kalam's house?
Answer: Abdul Kalam's ancestral house was located on Mosque Street in the island town of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu.
Q2. What do you think Dinamani is the name of? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer: Dinamani was the name of a Tamil newspaper because Abdul Kalam eagerly waited to read it every day and later helped in distributing newspapers.
Q3. Who were Abdul Kalam's school friends? What did they later become?
Answer: Abdul Kalam's close friends were Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan and Sivaprakasan. Ramanadha Sastry became the high priest of the Rameswaram temple. Aravindan started a transport business, while Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor.
Q4. How did Abdul Kalam earn his first wages?
Answer: During the Second World War, Abdul Kalam earned his first wages by helping his cousin Shamsuddin collect and distribute bundles of newspapers thrown from the moving train.
Q5. Had he earned any money before that? In what way?
Answer: Yes. Before that, he earned some money by collecting tamarind seeds and selling them to a provision shop.
Q6. How does the author describe:
(i) His father
Answer: Abdul Kalam's father was honest, wise, disciplined and generous. He possessed great inner strength and spiritual wisdom despite having little formal education.
(ii) His mother
Answer: His mother, Ashiamma, was kind, caring and generous. She lovingly fed many people every day besides taking care of the family.
(iii) Himself
Answer: Abdul Kalam describes himself as a short boy with rather ordinary looks. He was curious, hardworking, sincere and eager to learn.
Q7. What characteristics does he say he inherited from his parents?
Answer: Abdul Kalam inherited honesty, self-discipline, kindness, generosity, simplicity, faith in God and a strong sense of responsibility from his parents.
Q8. "On the whole, the small society of Rameswaram was very rigid in terms of the segregation of different social groups," says the author.
(i) Which social groups does he mention? Were these groups easily identifiable (for example, by the way they dressed)?
Answer: Abdul Kalam mentions two main social groups—the orthodox Hindu Brahmins and the Muslims. Yes, these groups were easily identifiable by their traditional dress, customs and religious practices.
(ii) Were they aware only of their differences or did they also naturally share friendships and experiences?
Answer: Although people belonged to different religious communities, they lived together peacefully. Abdul Kalam's closest friends were Hindus, and their families shared love, respect and friendship. Religious differences never affected their relationships.
(iii) The author speaks both of people who were very aware of the differences among them and those who tried to bridge these differences. Can you identify such people in the text?
Answer: The new teacher who asked Kalam to sit separately was conscious of religious differences. On the other hand, Lakshmana Sastry and Sivasubramania Iyer strongly opposed such discrimination and worked to remove social barriers.
(iv) Narrate two incidents that show how differences can be created, and also how they can be resolved. How can people change their attitudes?
Answer: The first incident occurred when a new teacher separated Abdul Kalam from his friend Ramanadha Sastry because of their different religions. Lakshmana Sastry strongly objected to this behaviour and the teacher later realised his mistake.
The second incident involved Sivasubramania Iyer. His orthodox wife refused to serve food to Abdul Kalam because he was a Muslim. The teacher himself served Kalam and later persuaded his wife to change her attitude. These incidents show that education, understanding and good examples can remove prejudice and promote communal harmony.
Q9. (i) Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?
Answer: Abdul Kalam wanted to leave Rameswaram to pursue higher education and fulfil his dream of becoming a successful person.
(ii) What did his father say to this?
Answer: His father encouraged him to go without hesitation. He said that children cannot be possessed by their parents because they have their own dreams and future.
(iii) What do you think his words mean? Why do you think he spoke those words?
Answer: His father's words mean that parents should not hold back their children from achieving their dreams. Every child has an independent future and must be allowed to grow freely. He spoke these words to encourage Abdul Kalam to become confident, independent and successful in life.
Thinking about Language
I. Find the sentences in the text where these words occur: erupt, surge, trace, undistinguished, casualty.
1. What are the things that can erupt? Use examples to explain the various meanings of erupt. Now do the same for the word surge. What things can surge?
Answer:
Erupt: The word erupt means to burst out suddenly.
- A volcano can erupt.
- Violence or riots can erupt.
- Laughter can erupt in a classroom.
- Anger can erupt suddenly.
Surge: The word surge means to rise or move forward suddenly with force.
- Sea waves can surge.
- A crowd can surge forward.
- Emotions can surge.
- Water levels can surge after heavy rain.
2. What are the meanings of the word trace and which meaning is closest to the word in the text?
Answer: The word trace can mean a mark, a sign, a very small amount or to follow something. In this lesson, it means a slight sign or indication.
3. Can you find the word undistinguished in your dictionary? If not, look up the word distinguished and say what undistinguished must mean.
Answer: Distinguished means famous or impressive. Therefore, undistinguished means ordinary, not special or not remarkable.
II.1. Match the phrases in Column A with Column B.
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Broke out | (c) Began suddenly in a violent way |
| (ii) In accordance with | (f) According to a particular rule, principle or system |
| (iii) A helping hand | (d) Assistance |
| (iv) Could not stomach | (b) Was not able to tolerate |
| (v) Generosity of spirit | (a) An attitude of kindness and readiness to give freely |
| (vi) Figures of authority | (e) Persons with power to make decisions |
II.2. Form the opposites of the following words by using the prefixes un-, in-, il-, im- or ir-.
| Word | Opposite |
|---|---|
| Adequate | Inadequate |
| Acceptable | Unacceptable |
| Regular | Irregular |
| Tolerant | Intolerant |
| Demanding | Undemanding |
| Active | Inactive |
| True | Untrue |
| Permanent | Impermanent |
| Patriotic | Unpatriotic |
| Disputed | Undisputed |
| Accessible | Inaccessible |
| Coherent | Incoherent |
| Logical | Illogical |
| Legal | Illegal |
| Responsible | Irresponsible |
| Possible | Impossible |
Passive Voice
III. Rewrite the sentences below, changing the verbs into the passive form.
1. In yesterday's competition the prizes were given away by the Principal.
2. In spite of financial difficulties, the labourers were paid on time.
3. On Republic Day, vehicles are not allowed beyond this point.
4. Second-hand books are bought and sold on the pavement every Saturday.
5. Elections to the Lok Sabha are held every five years.
6. Our National Anthem was composed by Rabindranath Tagore.
IV. Rewrite the paragraphs using the correct passive forms.
1. How Helmets Came To Be Used in Cricket
Nari Contractor was the Captain and an opening batsman for India in the 1960s. The Indian cricket team went on a tour to the West Indies in 1962.
In a match against Barbados in Bridgetown, Nari Contractor was seriously injured and collapsed. In those days helmets were not worn. Contractor was hit on the head by a bouncer from Charlie Griffith. Contractor's skull was fractured. The entire team was deeply concerned. The West Indies players were worried. Contractor was rushed to hospital. He was accompanied by Frank Worrell, the Captain of the West Indies team. Blood was donated by the West Indies players. Thanks to the timely help, Contractor was saved. Nowadays helmets are routinely used against fast bowlers.
2. Oil from Seeds
Vegetable oils are made from seeds and fruits of many plants growing all over the world, from tiny sesame seeds to big juicy coconuts.
Oil is produced from cotton seeds, groundnuts, soya beans and sunflower seeds. Olive oil is used for cooking, salad dressing and many other purposes. Olives are shaken from the trees and are gathered, usually by hand. The olives are ground into a thick paste which is spread onto special mats. Then the mats are layered on the pressing machine which gently squeezes them to produce olive oil.
Dictation
Activity: Divide the class into three groups. Each group should write down one passage dictated by the teacher. Finally, arrange the passages in the correct order to complete the lesson.
To Sir, with Love
1. From Rameswaram to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, it's been a long journey. Talking to Nona Walia on the eve of Teacher's Day, President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam speaks about the toughest lessons of his life and his mission of inspiring young Indians through education.
He says that proper education helps develop dignity, self-respect and confidence among young people. Even after becoming the President of India, he remained curious and eager to learn new things. According to him, learning is a lifelong mission.
2. Dr Kalam recalls one of the most important lessons of his childhood. When he was in Standard V, his science teacher, Sri Sivasubramania Iyer, explained how birds fly by drawing diagrams on the blackboard. Although he explained the lesson carefully, none of the students understood it completely.
Instead of becoming angry, the teacher decided to teach the lesson in a different way.
3. That same evening, Sri Sivasubramania Iyer took the entire class to the seashore at Rameswaram. There, the students carefully watched sea birds flying in the sky.
The teacher explained how the birds used their wings, tails and body to fly. By observing the birds directly, Abdul Kalam clearly understood the lesson. This practical demonstration left a deep impression on his mind.
Dr Kalam says that this experience completely changed his life. It inspired him to dream of flight and eventually led him towards a career in aerospace science. He always remembered Sri Sivasubramania Iyer as one of the greatest teachers who shaped his future.
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