UNIT I: 1.2 A PERSONAL CRISIS MAY CHANGE HISTORY Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam (bba bhm study material)

UNIT I: 1.2 A PERSONAL CRISIS MAY CHANGE HISTORY

Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam

ANSWER BRIEFLY IN A SENTENCE OR TWO

1. Why did Kalam during his 2004 trip to South Africa board a train at Penrich for a journey to Pietermaritzburg?

        Kalam wanted to travel the same route on train that Gandhiji travelled on that day that led to active non-violence.

2.  Why was Gandhi pushed out of the train?

Blacks were not allowed to travel in the same compartments as the whites. Since Gandhi was dark he was pushed out of the train.

3. What was Gandhi’s immediate reaction to his experience at Pietermaritzburg?

After being insulted, Gandhiji contemplated returning to India but realized that that would be cowardice. Hence he vowed to stay back and fight apartheid.

4. How did the Kalinga war scene change the character of Ashoka?

Ashoka saw the other side of victory- loss of innumerable citizens. It hurt him so much that he decided to follow Ahimsa Dharma.

5. What, according to Kalam, are the two great gifts of Nelson Mandela to his nation?

Nelson Mandela magnanimously provided equal constitutional rights to the 10% of the white population who were the main culprits of apartheid. He also gifted his nation a book that he wrote stealthily while in prison- ‘A Long Walk to Freedom’.

6. Why does Kalam connect Gandhi and Ashoka?

Gandhiji and Ashoka both believed in Ahimsa Dharma. One particular incident in their lives changed history.

7. What is common about Gandhi and Mandela?

Gandhiji and Mandela fought for freedom through non-violence. Gandhiji started non-violence in South Africa and came back to India to fight against the British. Mandela finished off what Gandhiji had started in South Africa.

8. What is the thread of link that connects Gandhi, Ashoka and Mandela?

Gandhiji, Ashoka and Mandela were followers of non-violence. They showed that any crisis can be over-ruled through non-violence.

9. How did the freedom of India achieved in 1947 become a trendsetter?

Many Asian and African nations were inspired to fight for freedom drawing courage through India’s fight for freedom through non-violence.

10. What injustice does Kalam want us to fight?

Kalam wants the nation to fight against social and economic impoverishment and widespread inequality affecting many citizens of India.

ANSWER IN A PARAGRAPH

1. How did the ugly experience in South African train change Gandhi?

Gandhiji understood the plight of Black natives of South Africa. The final blow to fight apartheid came when he was thrown out of the train for being a Black. He decided to fight racial discrimination through non-violence.

2. How does Kalam relate what happened to Gandhi in South Africa to the Kalinga war scene?

Gandhiji decided to turn to Ahimsa after being insulted. Ashoka saw the other side of victory- loss of innumerably citizens. It hurt him so much that he decided to follow Ahimsa Dharma. Both Gandhiji and Ashoka followed Ahimsa to find solution to the crisis without blood-shed.

3. What does Kalam say about the indomitable spirit of Nelson Mandela?

Nelson Mandela was jailed for twenty-six years in a single prison cell. He fought for freedom for his nation from there. This shows his perseverance as well as unshakeable hope that he nurtured for twenty-six long years.

4. What does Kalam imply by the question, “Will history repeat itself”?

Kalam observes the rising social and economic poverty and widespread inequality affecting many citizens of India. Instead of moving ahead to be a trendsetter to other nations, she is receding to the past. Kalam fears India will soon be in shackles and would need to start from the beginning.

ANSWER IN 200 WORDS

1. How does Kalam establish that personal crisis may not be a turning point in one’s life, but can alter the course of history?

How one reacts to a situation matters a lot in life. When ridiculed, a person either gets dejected or angry. Dejection is for cowards. Whereas standing up and fighting may be a turning point in one’s life.

Kalam brings in an example of how Gandhiji tackled the discrimination he was subjected to. Gandhiji paved way to uproot apartheid in South Africa through non-violence which Mandela adopted and succeeded after twenty-six years in jail. On the other hand, Gandhiji’s non-violent movement in South Africa became a precursor to India’s freedom movement.

Ashoka’s decision to follow Ahimsa Dharma dawned after his visit to the bloodied battle field of Kalinga. Thus it can be observed that how we react to a crisis not only becomes a turning point in one’s life but also changes the lives of others.

source: priyadarshanisrikanth.blogspot.com