A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was voted in as President of India.
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam better known as A.P.J. Abdul Kalam -LSB- ˈæbdʊl kəˈlɑːm -RSB- -LRB- 15 October 1931 -- 27 July 2015 -RRB- was the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007 .. 11th. List of Presidents of India. President of India. President of India. India. India. A career scientist turned statesman , Kalam was born and raised in Rameswaram , Tamil Nadu , and studied physics and aerospace engineering .. Rameswaram. Rameswaram. Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu. He spent the next four decades as a scientist and science administrator , mainly at the Defence Research and Development Organisation -LRB- DRDO -RRB- and Indian Space Research Organisation -LRB- ISRO -RRB- and was intimately involved in India 's civilian space programme and military missile development efforts .. India. India. Indian. Indian nationality. Defence Research and Development Organisation. Defence Research and Development Organisation. Indian Space Research Organisation. Indian Space Research Organisation. missile development efforts. Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. He thus came to be known as the Missile Man of India for his work on the development of ballistic missile and launch vehicle technology .. India. India. ballistic missile. ballistic missile. launch vehicle. launch vehicle. He also played a pivotal organisational , technical , and political role in India 's Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998 , the first since the original nuclear test by India in 1974 .. India. India. Pokhran-II. Pokhran-II. original nuclear test by India. Smiling Buddha. Kalam was elected as the 11th President of India in 2002 with the support of both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the then-opposition Indian National Congress .. 11th. List of Presidents of India. President of India. President of India. India. India. Indian. Indian nationality. Bharatiya Janata Party. Bharatiya Janata Party. Indian National Congress. Indian National Congress. Widely referred to as the `` People 's President , '' he returned to his civilian life of education , writing and public service after a single term .. He was a recipient of several prestigious awards , including the Bharat Ratna , India 's highest civilian honour .. India. India. Bharat Ratna. Bharat Ratna. While delivering a lecture at the Indian Institute of Management Shillong , Kalam collapsed and died from an apparent cardiac arrest on 27 July 2015 , aged 83 .. Shillong. Shillong. Indian. Indian nationality. Thousands including national-level dignitaries attended the funeral ceremony held in his hometown of Rameshwaram , where he was buried with full state honours .. full state honours. 21-gun salute