From Missile Man to Media Man

Busy as ever even after leaving Rashtrapati Bhavan, India's Missile Man A P J Abdul Kalam donned the role of a Media Man by launching a fortnightly e-paper Billion Beats to "highlight the stories of India's islands of success and to establish knowledge connectivity."

Apparently frustrated over Indian media's lack of focus in highlighting the country's success stories, Kalam, along with his associates, launched the e-paper on his website.

"We have the islands of success in every field of activity and we have to connect them to make a garland," he said in his message in the first edition of the e-paper being brought out by his associate V Ponraj.

The idea to have his own medium struck Kalam while he was coming out of a television interview in New Delhi.

As he drove out of the studio, Kalam asked his associates, "Why are we not highlighting the success stories of achievers? Why are we not bringing unsung heroes to the forefront?"

"Why an overdose of politics, murder caste war?" Kalam was quoted as saying in the inaugural edition by M Anantha Krishnan, the e-paper's National Affairs Editor, explaining the reasons that prompted the former President to launch the new initiative.

Kalam also wants his new venture to establish knowledge connectivity among people.

Besides focusing on success stories, Kalam's e-paper has an interactive component to encourage people, especially students, to share their success stories or inspiration.

Billion Beats, launched on Children's Day at Karim Nagar in Andhra Pradesh, is an attempt to celebrate the success of people in the country, from villages, cities, industrial sectors or any other sphere.

"The e-paper should set a new tradition. It should celebrate the success of people wherever they are. It may be from an agricultural village or fishing village, it may be from a dairy village, it may be from the industrial or service sector," Kalam said in his message.

"In short, Billion Beats should capture and spread the success and its glad tidings," he said.

The first edition of the e-paper has messages from Indian Test Cricket team captain Anil Kumble and noted aerospace expert Dr Kota Harinarayana.