Dr Kalam recalls his visit to a village for the inauguration of Sasthrayaan, a programme intended to prepare two thousand students to become engineers, scientists, doctors, managers and civil servants. After his speech on “Science Empowers the Nation,” a nervous village boy asked him a sincere question.
The boy lacked confidence and was afraid to speak to his teachers and friends. He constantly compared himself with other students. However, he had a great ambition: he wanted to become a marine engineer, travel in a ship, become its captain and build its engine. He asked Dr Kalam whether he could fulfil his dream.
Dr Kalam valued the question because it expressed the fears of many young people. In response, he recited the poem “I Will Fly.” The poem declares that every person is born with potential, goodness, ideas, dreams, greatness, confidence and wings. Human beings are not meant to crawl; they are born to fly and achieve great things.
Dr Kalam explains that every young person wants to be unique, but society often forces people to imitate others. Parents compare children with their neighbours, and teachers compare them with top-ranking students. To preserve one’s individuality, one must fight continuously until one becomes a “unique you.”
The lesson teaches young people to stop comparing themselves with others, recognise their abilities, overcome fear and pursue their dreams with courage and confidence.