Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Memorial is located in Rameshwaram. It is dedicated to the 11th President of India. One of the must-visit attractions in Rameswaram is the memorial to former President of India and renowned scientist, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The memorial has been built with careful planning keeping in mind Dr Kalam's interests and wishes.
Spread over 2.11 acres of land, the Abdul Kalam Memorial was inaugurated in 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) initiated the construction of the memorial to pay tribute to India's missile man. The construction of the memorial started in 2015 at the cremation ground where Kalam was cremated.
The Chettinad-style entrance of the main gate is similar to the India Gate, similar to the door of the Brihadeeswara temple in Thanjavur. The main dome is a replica of Rashtrapati Bhavan. There is also a bronze statue of Dr Kalam playing the veena.
The memorial has four halls that reflect various aspects of Dr Kalam's life, including the Pokhran nuclear test. There are replicas of rockets, missiles and paintings, all of which highlight his association with the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).
The central dome is connected to four display halls of about 2500 square feet—(each hall depicts Kalm's life in phases, and they are designed as children’s square, scientist square, motivation square, and lecture square), that house replicas of rockets and missiles, 900 paintings; that include,murals (sourced from Hyderabad, Shanti Niketan, Kolkata and Chennai),Shekhawati paintings, a collection of 200 photographs that highlight his long association with the DRDO, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and his involvement with India's civilian space program and military missile development efforts.
There are paintings and life-sized sculptures that illustrate Kalam at different ages. A 45-foot tall replica of the Agni missile with a theme of "unity in diversity" is displayed at the forefront of the structure. The memorial features quotes from Kalam as a scientist and the president of India.
The garden outside the memorial resembles a Mughal garden and is decorated with plants brought from Bangalore, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. There are also hand-planted flowers to Kalam's taste. The landscape is designed in Mughal garden style, with pergola paths lined with models of missiles designed by Kalam.The second phase of the monument includes the library, planetarium and auditorium.
Location: 77QC+793, Rameswaram-Dhanushkodi Road, Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu 623526
Visiting Hours: 10 AM - 10 PM
Entry Fee: Free Entry
How to Reach:
By Air: Madurai is the nearest Airport which is around 175 km distance from Rameswaram. Thoothukudi is another airport which is around 195 km distance from Rameswaram.
By Train: Rameswaram has a railway station which is around 1.3 km from the Ramanathaswamy temple. By Road
By Road: Rameswaram has a Bus stand which is around 2 km from the Ramanathaswamy temple.