Opportunities of Every Kind

It was purely defensive in nature, with a range of 250 kilometers. With this, India joined four countries—the United States, Russia, France, and China—that had the capability to produce land-based missiles. The Prithvi missile was developed at the DRDL in Hyderabad under the leadership of Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. As reported by Hindustan Times on February 26, 1988: “The ‘Prithvi’ missile was fabricated at the Defense Research and Development Laboratory at Hyderabad under a team of scientists headed by Dr Abdul Kalam.” Defense research is extremely delicate work. For it, people are chosen who combine two qualities: high technical expertise and personal integrity. The appointment of Dr. Abdul Kalam to such a prominent position carries a powerful lesson. It shows that in India, every kind of opportunity is fully open to minorities. If they develop ability, they can rise to the highest positions even in the most advanced fields. The truth is that in today’s world, the real value lies in ability. Once a person proves ability, he gains respect everywhere. Without proving it, he faces humiliation everywhere.