MY CHILDHOOD

I. Answer these questions in one or two sentences each:

1. Where was Abdul Kalam's house?

Answer: Abdul Kalam's house was located in the island town of Rameswaram in the erstwhile Madras State. It was a pucca house made of limestone and brick on Mosque Street in Rameswaram.

2. What do you think Dinamani is the name of? Give a reason for your answer.

Answer: I think Dinamani is the name of a newspaper because Abdul Kalam mentioned that after hearing stories about World War II from his brother-in-law Jallaluddin, he would try to find those stories in the headlines of Dinamani. This clearly shows that Dinamani was a newspaper.

3. Who were Abdul Kalam's school friends? What did they later become?

Answer: Abdul Kalam's school friends were Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan. Later in life, Ramanadha Sastry became the priest of the Rameswaram temple, Aravindan started a business of arranging transport for pilgrims, and Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for Southern Railways.

4. How did Abdul Kalam earn his first wages?

Answer: Abdul Kalam earned his first wages by helping his cousin Samsuddin distribute newspapers. When trains stopped halting at Rameswaram station during World War II, he helped collect newspaper bundles thrown from moving trains.

5. Had he earned any money before that? In what way?

Answer: Yes, Abdul Kalam had earned money before that by collecting tamarind seeds and selling them to a provision shop on Mosque Street. A day's collection would earn him the small sum of one anna.

II. Answer each of these questions in a short paragraph (about 30 words):

1. How does the author describe:
(i) His father
(ii) His mother
(iii) Himself

(i) His father: The author describes his father as a wise and generous man who was not formally educated or wealthy, but lived a simple life and provided for all basic needs.

(ii) His mother: He describes his mother as a kind-hearted and caring woman who fed many outsiders every day, showing her generosity and love toward others.

(iii) Himself: He says he was a short boy with ordinary looks, born to tall and handsome parents, but had a secure and emotionally rich childhood.

2. What characteristics does he say he inherited from his parents?

Answer: Abdul Kalam says he inherited honesty and self-discipline from his father. From his mother, he inherited faith in goodness and deep kindness. These qualities greatly influenced his character and guided him throughout his life.

III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each:

1. "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 social groups in Rameswaram — Muslims and Hindu Brahmins. These groups were easily identifiable by their dressing styles. For example, Kalam wore a cap that marked him as a Muslim, while his friend Ramanadha Sastry wore the sacred thread that identified him as a Hindu Brahmin.

(ii) Were they aware only of their differences or did they also naturally share friendships and experiences? (Think of the bedtime stories in Kalam's house; of who his friends were; and of what used to take place in the pond near his house.)

Answer: Kalam and his friends were from different religions but never thought about those differences. They shared strong friendships and common experiences. In Kalam’s house, both Ramayana and Prophet’s stories were told at bedtime. His family also helped during temple functions held at the pond near their house, showing unity.

Note- The word Prophet means a messenger of God who is believed to have been chosen to deliver God's teachings to people.

(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 author mentions a new teacher who was very aware of religious differences and separated Kalam from his Hindu friend. In contrast, people like Lakshmana Sastry and Sivasubramania Iyer tried to bridge these gaps. They stood against discrimination and supported equality, guiding others to treat everyone with respect.

(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: One incident was when a teacher separated Kalam from his Hindu friend due to religion, but Lakshmana Sastry corrected him. Another was when Iyer’s wife refused to serve Kalam, but later changed her mind. These incidents show that differences arise from social prejudice, but these can be resolved through strong guidance, kindness, and understanding.

3.(i) Why did Abdul Kalam want to leave Rameswaram?

Answer: Abdul Kalam wanted to leave Rameswaram to study at the district headquarters in Ramanathapuram. He decided to do this because he wanted to pursue his education and broaden his knowledge for a better future.

(ii) What did his father say to this?

Answer: Abdul Kalam's father said that he knew Kalam had to go away to grow. He compared his son's journey to a seagull flying across the sun, alone and without a nest, symbolizing independence and self-growth.

(iii) What do you think his words mean? Why do you think he spoke those words?

Answer: His words mean that children are not possessions. They have their own thoughts and dreams. Parents should love and support them but also give them freedom to grow and choose their path.

He spoke those words to make Kalam’s mother understand that it was important to let her son go and become independent for his future growth and learning.