“Heroism lies in advocating and living Kalam sir’s legacy,” Harry Sheridon, who served as the Private Secretary to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Interview Part I: Elsa Lycias Joel spoke to Harry Sheridon who has been the Private Secretary to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. Three years have passed ever since Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam passed away leaving behind enough to be thought, read, said and done for the greater good. With quite many biographies, anectodes and articles throwing light on the life of this great soul, it seems as though people had known what all they ought to know about The People’s President. But getting up close and personal with ‘the man behind the man’ is worth a conversation. Read on:

24 years is indeed a long time. How did it happen?

I feel like it all began yesterday. Yes, it was in 1990 that I met Dr. Kalam for the first time when he was Director, DRDL, shook hands, exchanged pleasantries and it started off then and there. There is no particular situation or moment that exactly made me feel, “Oh! He is my friend”. Today, when you ask me this question, I know Dr. Kalam’s virtues and kindness made me feel natural and easy, to understand things from his perspective that also made him. It’s still a glad confident morning again with my best foot forward and he is the reason.

Were you his confidante! Did Dr. Kalam discuss matters of crucial importance with you?

Yes…Many days and many times. Travelling was the time when he settled down without preoccupations and opened his heart. Looking back, I’m very happy that he trusted me with his thoughts. Discussing matters of importance with his team which I was a part of was a routine. But at the end of it all, Dr. Kalam followed his head and heart.

 Did he love travelling? How did he enjoy his role abroad?

He loved travelling rural India and meeting students, teachers and farmers. Tedious road travels never exhausted him. Dr. Kalam loved being able to travel on purpose. He actually believed in world citizenship and believed in Tamil philosopher Kaniyan Poongunranar’s quote “yaadhum ooreyyaavarum kayleer” which when translated in English goes as this “to us all towns are one, all men our kin”. Even during travel time, he was such a force, in his own gentle way, through his ability to seamlessly interact across the various age-groups and other man-made barriers to make us feel as a part of one large family of the world, despite the many differences.

Just as Russian President Putin put it, Kalam sir rightly enjoyed high international authority as an outstanding scientist and a wise statesman. Inside or outside India, Dr. Kalam was for goodwill and big dreams. Many a times, talks and chats boiled down to ‘a livable planet and how do we live together in harmony in spite of our differences’.

Well, that’s interesting, your point about Dr. Kalam was for goodwill anywhere, anytime. But he was criticized as being part of Agni-II and Pokharan- II…

For me, the most important thing is to be able to test what we read. I often heard him say, ‘strength respects strength’. If people think he practiced double standards, then they ought to know that he wasn’t a policy maker who decided on bombs and missiles. Dr. Kalam was part of a team carrying out his responsibilities as a scientist who saw these as an assertion of our country’s self reliance. Nothing of these was done envisaging a war but for deterrence and peace.

Do you think his presidency demanded his everything, his every capability as a teacher, poet, rocket scientist and aeronautical engineer, the undisputed father of India’s missile programme? What did he look to for guidance?

His courage and integrity. He relied on his conscience that was a result of introspection, retrospection and may be great thinkers and philosophers too. Even during demanding times he looked so composed in his study, in silence and at times pondering into books. In the midst of making quick decisions too, Kalam sir was always concerned about long term benefits.

Do you remember any such time that demanded his all or when he lost his cool?

Few times. There is something about life experience that helps an apolitical person gather political courage because he knows ‘this too shall come to pass’ and over the long term feel good about himself, his values and principles. ‘Anger’ wouldn’t be the right word to explain his emotion when situations turned too demanding. I’ve seen him quiet, reflective and I knew exactly when I should give him his space.

What were the situations?

Minutes back I said yes to “were you his confidante?” (smiles)

Is there any time you missed him the most? What were your roles like?

There is an unexplainable void almost every day because my day began and ended with him. Throughout my association with him for more than two decades, my life revolved about him, for him. I had to say yes to being part of the 35^th World Congress of Poets, Hualien, Taiwan: 06 November 2015 and that’s when I missed him the most. My travel was all the more uncomfortable as I’m accustomed to good conversations with Dr. Kalam. My roles were varied. Dr. Kalam knew that I, more than a Private Secretary, as a trusted friend ensured the nitty-gritty details of his life from large to small are attended to. From making sure he sported a perfect traveler’s crease to briefing him on his daily schedule, Kalam sir trusted me.

Do you mean to say you were privileged enough to orchestrate this great man’s great role?

I mean to say I was privileged enough to sweat the small stuff so that the great man didn’t have to. It’s all about the comfort level we shared. Say for example, I could basically read his mind. I know his quirks. Very often, I realized I understood his looks and gestures. So, whatever be my role, I could make sure, his day went on well. Much to my satisfaction too, I was there to make things go the way he wanted them to and never failed him.

Some called you as Dr. Kalam’s Man Friday, few others named you Dr. Kalam’s chosen man when he occupied Rashtrapati Bhavan. Yet, you were hardly known to the outside world. Did you intentionally maintain a low profile, to remain the unsung hero!

Now, I’m having trouble answering this question (chuckles).If you call it the low profile, then I would say it suited me to stay focused. Ducking the limelight wasn’t in my list. I had enjoyed my moments loving the exposure to the world alongside Kalam sir not to cameras. About being an unsung hero I remember a quote (grins).

Do you mind saying it!

No, not at all. Its “As soon as someone is identified as an unsung hero, he no longer is”. Heroism lies in advocating and living Kalam sir’s legacy.

(Elsa Lycias Joel is a freelance journalist based in India.)