Book review on

“IGNITED MINDS “
By Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam

Presentation by: Megha M. Hegde

 Introduction

“Ignited Minds” is a very well known book written by

Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
He has written this book to basically wake up the youth
of India to enlighten their minds and becomes the
bright future of India.
Book consists of nine chapters. Each chapter of this
book is rich with experiences and quotations of great
personalities of all walk.
 1. The Dream and the Message
Dream plays a very important role in an individual’s life. “Dream
transform into thoughts, and thoughts result into action.”

Spirituality must be integrated with education. Self realization is the

focus. Each one of us must become aware of our higher self.

We are links of a great past to a grand future. We should ignite our

dormant inner energy and let it guide our lives. The radiance of such
minds embarked on constructive endeavor will bring peace, prosperity
and bliss to this nation.
2. Give Us a Role Model

“Man often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I

cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I
believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have
it in beginning.” -Mahatma Gandhi

The people who impart the best of their guidance, can be your role
model. Firmly, one’s role model should be their parents or their
teachers. Education and the teacher-student relationship have to be
seen not in business terms but with the nation’s growth in mind.

A nation’s wealth is the young generation of the country.

 3. Visionary Teachers and Scientists
“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness
has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” -Geethe

Vision ignites the minds.

India needs visionaries of the stature of J. D.R. Tata, Vikram

Sarabhai, Satish Dhawan and Dr Verghese Kurien, to name
a few, who can involve an entire generation in mission-driven
programmes which benefit the country as a whole.
4. Learning from Saints and Seers
Society can prosper through wealth generation and cherishing the value system of the people. The combination of the two will make nation truly strong and
prosperous.

Our spiritual wisdom has been our strength.

We must draw upon our heritage and wisdom to enrich our lives.

It is a fact that we have advanced technology but spiritually we have not. development. We need to home-grow our own model of development based on our
inherent strength.
5. Patriotism beyond Politics and Religion

“I don’t care for liberation, I would rather go to a hundred thousand

hells, doing good to others like the spring, this is the religion.” -
Swami Vivekananda
There are success stories among failures. There is hope among chaos,
promise among problems. We are one billion people with multiple
faiths and ideologies.
In the absence of a national vision cracks at the seam keep surfacing
and make us vulnerable.
There is a need to reinforce this seam and amalgamate us into one
national forum.
6. The Knowledge Society

“Wisdom is a weapon to ward off destruction; It is

an inner fortress which enemies cannot destroy.”
-Thirukkural
Ancient India was a knowledge society that
contributed a great deal to civilization. We need to
recover that status and become a knowledge power.
We must learn from our mistakes to achieve a
better standard of life. A developed India will
supplant a spirit of defeat with the spirit of victory.
7. Getting the Forces Together

“Determine that things can be and shall be done, and

than we shall find the way.”
-Abraham Lincoln
We need to adapt the implementation of our programmes
and policies into a mission mode to succeed.
Progress cannot be swift and far-reaching if the path is
full of potholes.
The abundant national resources, human and material,
remain to be fully utilized.
 8. Building a New State

It is rightly said “Follow excellence success will

automatically follow you.”
The way to development is through purposeful
activity. The young especially have to be guided
properly, so that their lives find a proper direction
and their creativity is allowed to flower. To facilitate
this, certain educational reforms must be initiated.
The mindset must change, showing willingness to
take pragmatic risks.
9. To My Countrymen

“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments...
My father, let my country awake.”
-Rabindranath Tagore

With regard to improving the pace of development, Centre-state

efforts should be coordinated in a few key areas and efforts
across sectors and organizations integrated and taken up in a
mission mode.
 Evolution of book
The major strength of this book lies in the name itself where to
ignite the minds of the youth who can bring revolutions in the
world and can change the scenario of the nation.

Weakness of this book lies in just dealing with the matters of

youth and enlighten their minds whereas India is being ruled by
many age old people who also need to be motivated to bring
revolutions that a right for the nation and too through fair
means.
Thank you……