Rameswaram: When he arrives here on Thursday next for the remembrance rally of the second death anniversary of Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is most likely to fulfill the great man's last wish, which was to celebrate in grand manner his elder brother Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar's 100th birthday.
The family patriarch turned 100 last November but there was hardly any celebration at the House of Kalam as the loss of its most famous member was still bleeding the hearts. "We gave Muthu Meera thatha the case of perfume that Kalam thatha had preserved locked in his cupboard for presenting at the birthday function. He had kept it locked for quite some time hoping to surprise his elder brother, whom he dearly loved and adored", recalled grand-nephew APJ Sheik Saleem.
Saleem was part of the small delegation from the Kalam family that called on PM Modi at Delhi on Wednesday. The team included his brothers Sheik Dawood and G.K. Moideen, apart from 'Green Man of India' K. Abdul Ghani, who is also the coordinator of the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam International Foundation.
The PM spent a little over 15 minutes with the Kalam family and readily accepted the request to preside over the final session of the Remembrance Week on July 27. He is likely to honour the late Kalam's last wish by visiting his house and greeting the centurion elder brother-in a generous gesture of warmth that's so typical of the PM.
During the occasion, the PM will also flag off the Kalam Rath, which will start from the House of Kalam and travel across some of the remotest villages in 15 states before reaching the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi on October 15, Kalam's birthday. The large bus with a 'Vision:2020' slogan painted across, will have the great patriot's choice photographs, videos, speeches and books for the people, particularly students, to see. "Kalamji's famous pledge to the student community, which he used to administer whenever he addressed them across the country, would be among the audio-visual treats in the Rath", said Abdul Ghani.
