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CBSE Class 9 English Question 35 of 38

My Childhood — Question 38

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38
Question
How did Abdul Kalam earn his “first wages” ? How did he feel at that time ? (Board Term 1,2012, ELI-024)
Answer

Kalam was only 8 years old when the second world war broke out in 1939. Then there was a great demand for tamarind seeds. Abdul used to collect those seeds and sell them in the market. His cousin Shamsuddin distributed newspapers. The train would not stop at Rameshwaram and the bundles of newspapers were thrown from the running train. Abdul was employed by his cousin to collect them. This way he earned his first wages. He felt very proud on earning his first wage.

Overview: My Childhood

APJ Abdul Kalam describes growing up in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, in a Muslim family. His father Jainulabdeen was an honest, self-disciplined boat owner; his mother Ashiamma was generous. Kalam's closest friends were Hindu — Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan. When a new teacher tried to separate Kalam from a Hindu friend, the issue was resolved through dialogue. Kalam was shaped by his parents' values, his teachers' guidance, and Rameswaram's organic communal harmony.

Key Points

  • Born in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu — island town
  • Father Jainulabdeen: honest, self-disciplined, austere
  • Mother Ashiamma: kind, generous — fed many people daily
  • Close friends: Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, Sivaprakasan (all Hindu)
  • New teacher separated Kalam from Hindu friend due to religion
  • Kalam's father and school headmaster resolved the issue
  • Rameswaram was a model of communal harmony
  • Hindu and Muslim traditions coexisted naturally
  • Kalam credits parents and teachers for shaping his values
  • Theme: communal harmony, influence of family, overcoming prejudice

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Rameswaram demonstrate communal harmony?
In Rameswaram, Hindus and Muslims lived together peacefully. Kalam's Muslim family had close Hindu friends. His father had deep knowledge of both Hindu and Muslim traditions. The town's famous temple and Kalam's mosque coexisted. This organic harmony shaped Kalam's secular values.
What was the incident with the new teacher?
A new teacher, seeing a Muslim boy (Kalam) sitting next to a Hindu Brahmin boy (Ramanadha Sastry), made Kalam sit at the back of the class. When Kalam's father and the school headmaster spoke to the teacher, he apologised and the discrimination ended.

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