By Harry Sheridon & Elsa Lycias Joel

Great men are shaped not only by their own brilliance, but by the wisdom they choose to follow. They listen, they learn, and they humbly walk in the footsteps of those who came before them. Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam stands as a shining example of such greatness: a lifelong learner who was both a devoted follower and an inspiring leader.

As India’s former President, he drew lessons from elders, scholars, and thinkers across generations, transforming their teachings into principles he lived by each day. Though he was a voracious reader of religious and philosophical works from around the world, nothing stirred his mind and spirit as deeply as the Thirukkural of Saint Thiruvalluvar. Its timeless wisdom guided his thoughts, strengthened his values, and quietly shaped the humility and integrity that endeared him to millions.

Though the Thirukkural first entered the Chinese language through Che’ng Hsi’s translation in 1967, its journey did not end there. Dr. Kalam, whose reverence for the classic was deeply personal, became the quiet force behind a second, more complete Mandarin translation.

This effort was undertaken by his close friend, the internationally renowned Taiwanese poet and Buddhist monk, Abbot Yu Hsi. What made this collaboration exceptional was not merely scholarship, but mutual respect. Dr. Kalam’s admiration for Abbot Yu Hsi’s literary depth, combined with Taiwan’s growing affection for the Thirukkural, was inspired in no small measure by its respect for Dr. Kalam himself.

In Taiwan, the Thirukkural began to resonate more deeply, its universal values finding new readers and admirers. With Chinese being the most widely spoken language in the world, the ancient Tamil text reached a point where it could illuminate the lives of the largest number of people, just as Saint Thiruvalluvar might have hoped.

Today, if the Thirukkural stands among the most translated works in history, it is because a dedicated few chose to act at the right moment with unwavering faith in its universal wisdom. Records show that it has been rendered into over forty Indian and foreign languages, with ambitious efforts underway to translate it into all 193 official UN languages. By the end of this year, these initiatives aim to surpass one hundred translations, carrying the wisdom of the Thirukkural into countless tongues and future generations.

Very few people from remote villages rise to global prominence. Yet history offers rare exceptions who, despite limited resources, shape the world through knowledge and sound guidance. What distinguishes them is trust in devoted teachers and reliable sources of learning.

In this sense, wisdom is essential not only for the poor, but equally for the rich and the powerful, and the Thirukkural stands as a timeless antidote for all.

Dr. Kalam was not alone among its beneficiaries. Mahatma Gandhi described the Thirukkural as a “textbook of indispensable authority on moral life.” The German-French theologian and philosopher Albert Schweitzer observed that “there hardly exists in the literature of the world a collection of maxims in which we find so much lofty wisdom as in the Kural.”

Indira Gandhi found in it guidance during moments of economic, political, and social challenge. Likewise, M. G. Ramachandran, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, went so far as to call it the national scripture of India.

It is no exaggeration to say that the Kural offers greater clarity on morality, justice, wealth, love, and virtue than any religious text I am familiar with. In many traditions, wealth is treated with an ambivalence that often confuses the common person.

The Bible warns of the difficulty of a rich man entering the kingdom of heaven, yet presents patriarchs such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as men of great means. Proverbs links diligence and wisdom to prosperity.

The Tirukkural, however, is unambiguous. It asserts that wealth acquired righteously, accumulated with discipline, and distributed wisely elevates both the individual and society. Far from being a spiritual obstacle, such wealth transforms the unworthy into the worthy and is described as the sharpest weapon with which to overcome one’s enemies.

Wealth here is not merely material; it is a moral force when guided by virtue.

Dr. Kalam embodied this principle fully. Whatever wealth he possessed — intellectual, material, moral, or social — he never hoarded. He shared knowledge freely, mentored relentlessly, and demystified his own path to success so others could follow.

By distributing his intellectual capital with generosity and purpose, he multiplied it, creating empowered minds rather than dependence.

This philosophy was not confined to his words; it became visible through action when he assumed the presidency. By opening the grand portals of Rashtrapati Bhavan to students, scientists, children from remote villages, and ordinary citizens, he dismantled the invisible wall that separates power from the people.

The privileges he enjoyed were neither inherited nor accidental; they were earned through relentless hard work, intellectual rigor, and moral discipline. Yet he refused to guard them. Instead, he transformed privilege into inspiration.

By allowing ordinary citizens to walk the corridors of the highest constitutional office, Dr. Kalam sent a powerful message: greatness is accessible, and excellence is not reserved for a chosen few.

Just as the Kural teaches that wealth finds its highest purpose in righteous distribution, Dr. Kalam redistributed symbolic and institutional wealth to awaken ambition in others. Through shared access, authority, and visibility, he multiplied hope and self-belief, enabling many to see themselves not as spectators of greatness, but as its rightful heirs.

Dr. Kalam’s book on the lessons he drew from the Tirukkural, and how he lived them, was gifted to me. Among its many moving anecdotes, one incident from the mid-1950s stayed with me.

While studying at MIT, Chennai, his family in Rameswaram was affected by a devastating cyclone. In urgent need of money to travel home, he made a timely decision: he sold a book gifted to him by his revered teacher, Prof. Lakshmanaswamy, a possession of great emotional value.

At Moore Market, a bookseller helped Dr. Kalam by giving him the money he needed to buy a ticket. Later, when Dr. Kalam returned to repay the amount and reclaim the book, he was astonished to find that the bookseller had faithfully kept his word.

Dr. Kalam related this act to Kural 211, which praises selfless giving and compares true generosity to rain that falls without expectation.

In an age shaped by instant gratification, transactional relationships, and the constant demand for visible returns, this Kural assumes profound relevance. It reminds both the young and the old that ethical action seeks neither validation nor applause.

Like rain, it nourishes silently and indiscriminately. Dr. Kalam’s life demonstrates that such selfless acts, whether received or practiced, shape character more enduringly than ambition alone. Above all else, the lesson is timeless: societies progress not merely through intelligence or calculated effort, but through quiet integrity that gives without keeping score.

Kural 738 was Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s lifelong compass whenever he envisioned a project — whether PURA, the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, the Light Combat Aircraft initiative, the Agni and Prithvi missile missions, or later national visions such as Vision 2020 and India 2030.

For Dr. Kalam, projects were never merely technological or administrative exercises; they were moral undertakings that demanded ethical grounding as much as scientific rigor.

Kural 738 speaks of the five ornaments that make a nation truly prosperous: impartial justice, enlightened leadership, righteous counsel, capable administration, and unwavering moral integrity. Dr. Kalam believed that without these foundations, no amount of investment, legislation, or infrastructure could yield lasting progress.

If only laws were framed and amended, and large-scale initiatives undertaken in the name of employment and welfare, with these five ornaments as their foundation, the story of development would look very different today.

Real progress, as Dr. Kalam’s faith in the Kural teaches, is not about rapid growth or glitzy ventures, but about justice, balance, and moral wisdom — ensuring development benefits all citizens rather than a select few.

According to RTI responses and public records, between 2014-15 and 2024-25, the central government of India spent approximately ₹2,532.59 crore on promoting Sanskrit. During the same period, the combined expenditure on Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia was around ₹147.56 crore — about seventeen times less.

Wise investment in tangible and relevant resources can benefit society as a whole. In this context, allocating significant resources to promoting and teaching the Tirukkural in educational institutions could help foster a moral, prosperous, and just society.