Descriptive type questions with answers from Strong Roots written by Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Strong Roots Question Answers

Question : What had remained the routine for Abdul Kalam’s father even was in his late sixties ? What does Abdul Kalam say about the emulation of his father ?

Answer : Kalam’s father led a very disciplined and simple life. Kalam’s father started his day at 4 am by reading the namaz before dawn. After reading the namaz, he used to walk down to their small coconut grove which was about four miles away from their home. From there he would return with  a dozen of coconuts tied together thrown over his shoulder. Then he would have his breakfast.  This had been Kalam’s father routine in his late sixties. In the evening, he went to the mosque. He also spent his time discussing spiritual matters with his best friend Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, the high priest of the Rameswaram temple.

Abdul Kalam, throughout his life, tried to emulate his father in his own world of science and technology. He had endeavoured to understand the fundamental truths revealed to him by his father and he was convinced that there exists a divine power that can lift one up from confusion, misery, melancholy and failure and would guide one to one’s true place.

Question : “I normally ate with my mother” — Who ate with his mother ? Name his mother ? Where did he ate with his mother ? What did he eat with his mother ?

Answer : Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam ate with his mother.

➢The name of his mother is Ashiamma.

➢Abdul Kalam normally ate with his mother, sitting on the kitchen floor of their ancestral house. 

➢Kalam would eat rice, aromatic samber, a variety of sharp, home-made pickle and a dollop of fresh coconut chutney on a banana leaf, with his mother.

Question: “one of the most vivid memories of my early childhood is of the two men…..” — Whose childhood memories are referred to? Who were the two men? What was their topic of discussion? What answer did the narrator get regarding his answer on prayer?

Ans: Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s childhood memories are referred to here.

The two men were Pakshi Lakshmana Sastri, the high priest of Rameswaram temple and Kalam’s father, Jainulabdeen.

Pakshi Lakshmana Sastri and Kalam’s father usually discussed spritual matters.

Jainulabdeen told kalam that there was nothing mysterious about prayer. Rather prayer made possible a communion of the spirit between people.