A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, at the age of eight, took up a job delivering newspapers in Rameswaram, balancing work, studies, and responsibilities. This experience taught him discipline, time management, and the importance of keeping promises, shaping his early life in meaningful ways.
Extended Summary
A. P. J. Abdul Kalam received newspapers daily in English and Tamil. Even while traveling abroad, he stayed updated by reading news online. He was born in 1931, and when he was eight years old, World War II started, but life remained mostly unchanged in Rameswaram.
The only source of news was the newspaper agency run by his cousin Samsuddin, who was a great influence on Kalam. The agency delivered newspapers to all literate people in town, bringing news about the Independence Movement and World War II. The Tamil paper Dinamani was very popular.
Newspapers arrived by train, but when the train stopped halting at Rameswaram due to the war, Samsuddin found a new way to get them. They were thrown from the moving train onto the platform, and Kalam’s job was to collect them and deliver them around town.
Kalam was excited about this job because it helped his family, who were struggling due to food shortages. He balanced his studies, Arabic school, and newspaper delivery while working hard every day. In the evenings, he read newspapers with Samsuddin and Jalalluddin, learning about world leaders like Gandhiji and Hitler.
He dreamed of visiting big cities and wondered what he would say if he met famous leaders. His mother worried that he was working too hard, but Kalam was proud to support his family. Working as a newspaper boy taught him discipline, time management, and responsibility, and he enjoyed every moment despite the challenges.
Notes
- A. P. J. Abdul Kalam received newspapers daily in English and Tamil.
- Even while traveling abroad, he stayed updated with Indian news online.
- He was born in 1931 and was eight years old when World War II began.
- Life remained mostly unchanged for those in southern India initially.
- Newspapers were the primary source of information about the world.
- His cousin Samsuddin ran the only newspaper agency in Rameswaram.
- Samsuddin, along with Jalalluddin, deeply influenced Kalam’s early years.
- Samsuddin encouraged and guided Kalam in many ways.
- The newspaper agency distributed papers to about a thousand literate people.
- Newspapers carried updates on the Independence Movement and World War II.
- The Tamil paper Dinamani was the most popular in town.
- Newspapers arrived by train and were left at Rameswaram station.
- Samsuddin efficiently managed the newspaper distribution.
- World War II brought disruptions, affecting the delivery of newspapers.
- British sanctions and rationing made daily life difficult.
- Kalam’s large family struggled with shortages of food and essentials.
- The train stopped making a halt at Rameswaram station.
- Samsuddin found a way to get newspapers delivered despite the changes.
- Newspapers were thrown from the moving train onto the platform.
- Samsuddin offered eight-year-old Kalam the job of collecting and distributing them.
- Kalam was excited to contribute to the household income.
- He noticed his mother and grandmother eating less to ensure the children were fed.
- He accepted the job eagerly and worked alongside school and studies.
- His daily routine involved morning tuition, Arabic lessons, and newspaper delivery.
- He memorized subscribers and recognized them by the newspapers they read.
- In the evening, he collected payments and helped Samsuddin with accounts.
- He spent time with Jalalluddin and Samsuddin discussing news and world events.
- He dreamed of visiting big cities like Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta.
- His work taught him discipline, responsibility, and the realities of earning an income.
- Despite his mother’s concern, he enjoyed his job and was proud to support his family.
Questions and Short Answers
- Who received newspapers daily?
Every morning, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam received a large pile of newspapers in both English and Tamil, helping him stay updated about the world. - How did Kalam stay informed while traveling?
Even when traveling abroad, Kalam made sure to read news articles and editorials online so he could stay connected to India. - When was Kalam born?
Kalam was born in the year 1931 in the town of Rameswaram, which is located in the southern part of India. - What happened when Kalam was eight years old?
When Kalam was eight years old, World War II began, but life in his town remained mostly unaffected in the beginning. - Who ran the newspaper agency in Rameswaram?
His cousin Samsuddin ran the only newspaper agency in Rameswaram, delivering newspapers to the town’s literate people. - What was the most popular Tamil newspaper?
Dinamani was the most popular Tamil newspaper in Rameswaram, bringing people important news from India and the world. - How did newspapers arrive in Rameswaram?
Newspapers were sent to Rameswaram by train every morning and were collected from the station for distribution across the town. - Why did the newspaper business face difficulties during the war?
The British government imposed strict rationing and restrictions due to the war, making it difficult for businesses to function normally. - What happened to train stops at Rameswaram station?
The train stopped making regular halts at Rameswaram station, causing a challenge in the delivery of newspapers to the town. - How were newspapers delivered after the train stopped halting?
Since the train no longer stopped, newspaper bundles were thrown onto the platform from the moving train for collection. - How did Kalam get involved in newspaper distribution?
Samsuddin gave Kalam the task of collecting the thrown newspaper bundles and distributing them around town to the subscribers. - Why was Kalam excited to take up the job?
Kalam felt proud and happy to take the job because he could earn money and help his family, who were facing hardships. - What did Kalam notice about his mother and grandmother?
He saw that his mother and grandmother ate less to make sure the children had enough food during the difficult times. - What was Kalam’s daily routine before delivering newspapers?
Kalam woke up before dawn, attended mathematics tuition, went to Arabic school, and then rushed to the railway station for his newspaper job. - How did Kalam collect newspapers from the train?
Kalam waited in the right spot at the railway station and quickly picked up the newspaper bundles that were thrown from the moving train. - How did Kalam distribute newspapers?
Running through different neighborhoods in Rameswaram, Kalam delivered newspapers to the subscribers while remembering who read which paper. - What did people say when Kalam delivered newspapers?
Some people enjoyed seeing him work, while others reminded him to hurry home so he wouldn’t be late for school. - What did Kalam do after finishing his newspaper rounds?
After delivering newspapers, he rushed home where his mother made sure he had a proper breakfast before leaving for school. - What was Kalam’s responsibility in the evening?
In the evening, Kalam visited newspaper subscribers to collect payments, and then helped Samsuddin with the daily accounts. - Where did Kalam read newspapers with Samsuddin and Jalalluddin?
Sitting near the sea in the evening breeze, Kalam, Samsuddin, and Jalalluddin read newspapers and discussed world events. - Which leaders’ names did Kalam hear in the newspapers?
The newspapers carried news about leaders like Gandhiji, Congress members, Hitler, and Periyar E. V. Ramasamy. - What did Kalam dream of after reading the newspapers?
Reading about great people made Kalam dream about visiting big cities like Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta one day. - Did Kalam ever meet Gandhiji or Nehru at that time?
Though Kalam never met Gandhiji or Nehru, he often imagined what he would say if he ever had the chance. - What interrupted Kalam’s daydreams about big cities?
His friends would call him to play, and soon it was time for dinner, homework, and getting ready for the next day. - At what time did Kalam go to bed?
Since he had a busy day with studies and work, Kalam went to bed by 9 p.m. to rest before another early morning. - How long did Kalam work as a newspaper boy?
Kalam worked delivering newspapers for about a year, during which he became stronger, taller, and more disciplined. - What skills did Kalam develop while delivering newspapers?
He learned how to manage time, calculate payments, organize deliveries, and complete his tasks responsibly every day. - Why did Kalam’s mother worry about his job?
Kalam’s mother worried that his job was tiring him out and that he should focus more on his studies instead. - How did Kalam respond to his mother’s concerns?
Even though his mother was worried, Kalam smiled at her because he knew his earnings were helping his family. - What did Kalam call himself at the age of eight?
He proudly called himself “a working man” because he had real responsibilities and contributed to his household’s income.
Writing
Letter 1
Mr Samsuddin,
Newspaper Agency,
Rameswaram
Dear Samsuddin,
I am writing to thank you for trusting me with the newspaper delivery job. Though I was only eight years old, your belief in me made me feel capable and responsible. Collecting newspaper bundles from the moving train and delivering them around town was an exciting experience for me.
This job taught me discipline, time management, and the importance of keeping promises. I also learned how hard work can support a family during difficult times. My earnings, though small, helped my mother and grandmother, and that made me very happy.
Most importantly, I enjoyed reading the newspapers with you and Jalalluddin in the evenings. They helped me understand the world beyond Rameswaram. One day, I hope to visit big cities and see the places I read about in the news.
Thank you for giving me this opportunity and guiding me like a true mentor.
Yours sincerely,
Abdul Kalam.
Letter 2
Dear Mother,
I want to thank you for always taking care of me, waking me up early for tuition, and ensuring I had enough food after a long day. I know you were worried about me taking on the newspaper job, but I wanted to help the family in any way I could.
Every morning, I ran to the station and waited for the train to toss the bundles. Delivering newspapers around town was tiring, but it gave me joy because I knew my work was useful. It helped me become disciplined, and I learned how to manage time.
I also noticed that you and Grandmother ate less just to make sure we children had enough. That made me even more determined to work hard. I promise I will continue studying and doing my best in everything.
I love you, Mother, and I will always try to make you proud.
Yours lovingly,
Kalam.
Conversation 1 – Kalam and Samsuddin
- Samsuddin: Kalam, I need someone to collect and deliver newspapers now that the train doesn’t stop. Would you like to help?
- Kalam: That sounds exciting! How do I collect the newspapers if the train doesn’t halt?
- Samsuddin: The bundles are thrown onto the platform as the train passes. You’ll have to be quick!
- Kalam: I would love to do this job! It will help me support my family too.
- Samsuddin: You must be careful and make sure every subscriber gets their newspaper.
- Kalam: I will do my best. I already know many people and the papers they read!
- Samsuddin: Good! You’ll need to wake up early and manage your time well.
- Kalam: I’m used to waking up before dawn for my tuition, so that won’t be a problem.
- Samsuddin: That’s the spirit! This job will teach you discipline and responsibility.
- Kalam: I’m ready, Samsuddin! I want to be a working man!
Conversation 2 – Kalam and His Mother
- Mother: Kalam, you already wake up early for tuition and school. Won’t this job make you too tired?
- Kalam: It will be tiring, Mother, but I really want to help our family.
- Mother: I see how hard you work, but you are only eight. You should enjoy your childhood.
- Kalam: I do enjoy it, Mother! Running through town, delivering newspapers, feels exciting.
- Mother: But I notice you come home exhausted in the evening. Are you sure you can manage everything?
- Kalam: Yes, Mother! I still do my studies, attend school, and even have time to play.
- Mother: I just worry that you won’t have enough time for yourself.
- Kalam: I have learned so much from this job, and I feel proud that I can support you in a small way.
- Mother: I know, my child. I see the happiness in your eyes when you talk about your work.
- Kalam: That’s because I love it, Mother! It teaches me responsibility, and I want to make you proud.
Conversation 3 – Kalam and a Newspaper Subscriber, During Delivery
- Subscriber: Kalam, here comes my newspaper! You always deliver on time.
- Kalam: Yes, sir! I try to run fast so that everyone gets their newspaper early.
- Subscriber: That’s impressive for such a young boy. Do you ever get late for school?
- Kalam: No, sir! I finish deliveries quickly and then rush home for breakfast before school.
- Subscriber: You must have learned to organize your time very well.
- Kalam: Yes, I even remember which newspaper each person reads!
- Subscriber: That’s very sharp! Soon, you’ll be managing bigger responsibilities.
- Kalam: I hope so! This job is preparing me for bigger things in life.
- Subscriber: Do you read the newspapers yourself?
- Kalam: Yes! Every evening, I sit with Samsuddin and Jalalluddin and discuss the news.
- Subscriber: That’s good! Reading will help you grow into a wise man one day.
Conversation 4 – Kalam and Jalalluddin
- Jalalluddin: You have been reading newspapers every day, Kalam. What interested you today?
- Kalam: I read about Gandhiji and the Independence Movement. He inspires me a lot!
- Jalalluddin: Great leaders shape history. Do you ever wonder about meeting them?
- Kalam: Yes! I dream about visiting big cities like Madras and Bombay one day.
- Jalalluddin: If you keep working hard, that dream will come true.
- Kalam: I hope so! I wonder what I would say if I ever met Gandhiji or Nehru.
- Jalalluddin: What would you ask them?
- Kalam: I’d ask how they had the courage to change the country.
- Jalalluddin: That’s a great question! You already think like a future leader.
- Kalam: Thank you! One day, I want to do something meaningful too.
- Jalalluddin: Keep dreaming and working hard, Kalam! The world is waiting for you.
Conversation 5 – Kalam and a Train Worker
- Train Worker: Kalam, the train is approaching! Get ready for the newspaper bundles!
- Kalam: I am prepared! I know the best spot to catch them quickly.
- Train Worker: Watch carefully—the bundles will be tossed in just a few seconds!
- Kalam: I see them! Here they come!
- Train Worker: Well done, you’re fast! Samsuddin must be glad to have you helping him.
- Kalam: I enjoy this job! It makes me feel responsible and independent.
- Train Worker: Not many eight-year-olds would wake up early for this work.
- Kalam: My mother wakes me up before dawn, and I start my day with tuition before coming here.
- Train Worker: That’s impressive! You’re learning discipline at a young age.
- Kalam: Yes! I’ve learned that when you take responsibility, you must always keep your word.
- Train Worker: You will grow into a great man one day, Kalam. Keep working hard!
Phrasal Verbs
- Stay in touch – Keep yourself informed or connected with something (news from India).
- Broke out – Started suddenly, referring to World War II beginning.
- Head towards – Move in a particular direction (Independence Movement progressing).
- Picked up – Collected (newspaper bundles thrown from the train).
- Take up – Accept or begin a responsibility (Kalam taking the newspaper job).
- Wake up – Stop sleeping; become alert (Kalam waking early for tuition).
- Shake awake – Wake someone up by shaking them (his mother waking him).
- Sent (him) on his way – Made someone continue their journey (his mother sending him off).
- Tear around – Move quickly and energetically (Kalam delivering newspapers).
- Look out for – Watch carefully for something (watching for flying bundles).
- Huff and puff away – Move forward with effort (train leaving after throwing bundles).
- Hand (papers) over – Give something to someone (Kalam delivering newspapers).
- Head back – Return to a place (Kalam going home after delivering papers).
- Work out – Calculate or solve something (Samsuddin handling accounts).
- Open up – Begin discussing or revealing something (reading newspapers and discussing the news).
- Hang in the air – Exist but remain unanswered (ideas about Gandhiji and Congress hanging in the air).
- Trace (words and photos) with fingers – Follow something’s shape with fingers (Kalam exploring newspaper images).
- Call for dinner – Announce that food is ready (Kalam’s mother calling him for dinner).
- Lay in store – Await or be prepared for (responsibilities waiting for Kalam the next day).
- Kept up – Continued doing something (balancing studies, prayers, and work).
Idioms
- A guiding light – Someone who provides direction and inspiration (Samsuddin guiding Kalam).
- Fallout of (something) – The consequences or effects of something (war affecting newspaper delivery).
- Enthusiasm knew no bounds – Extreme excitement (Kalam’s joy about his job).
- Like clockwork – Happening smoothly and regularly (newspapers being thrown from the train on time).
- Huff and puff away – Move away with effort (train leaving the station after throwing newspapers).
- A friendly word or two – A brief, kind interaction (people chatting with Kalam while receiving newspapers).
- Secretly proud – Feeling proud but not openly showing it (Kalam’s mother proud of him).
- Make (someone) proud – Act in a way that brings pride to someone (Kalam making his mother proud).
- Face the day – Take on the challenges and responsibilities ahead (Kalam waking up early for his duties).
- Brush with (something) – A brief experience with something (Kalam’s first experience of responsibility).
Textual Analysis
“Every morning a large pile of newspapers, in English and Tamil, is delivered to me. During my travels abroad I stay in touch with news from India. I do this by going online to read news articles and editorials in magazines and papers.
I was born in the year 1931. When I was about eight, World War II broke out. Daily life, however, remained fairly unaffected initially, particularly for us in the southern tip of the country.
The only source of information about the outside world was the newspaper. The agency that distributed newspapers was run by my cousin Samsuddin. Along with Jalalluddin, he was a big influence in my early life. Samsuddin had great affection for me and encouraged me in so many ways, that he became a guiding light for me. Samsuddin’s newspaper agency was the only one in Rameswaram. There were about a thousand literate people in the town, and he delivered newspapers to all of them. The papers carried news about the Independence Movement that was heading towards a crescendo at the time.”
These news items would be read and discussed among everyone. There would also be news from the war front, about Hitler and the Nazi army. The Tamil paper Dinamani was the most popular of all. The way the papers reached Rameswaram was quite unique. They came by morning train and were kept at Rameswaram station. From there they had to be collected and sent to all the subscribers. This was Samsuddin’s business and he managed it effortlessly. However, as World War II raged, it affected the newspaper delivery business in a strange way.
The British government had placed a number of sanctions and rations on goods. Something like a state of emergency now prevailed in the country. Our large family felt the difficulties acutely. Food, clothes, the needs of the babies of the household, all became difficult to procure. As the difficulties of the war continued to affect us, Samsuddin came up with a proposal that excited and delighted me. One fallout of the conditions was that the rail stop at Rameswaram station had been done away with. What would happen to our papers then? How were they to be collected and distributed to all the people of the town? Samsuddin found a way out.
The papers would be kept ready in large bundles. As the train chugged down the Rameswaram–Dhanushkodi track, they would be flung out on to the platform. And that is where I came in. Samsuddin offered me the enjoyable job of collecting these bundles of papers thrown from the moving train and then taking them around town for distribution!
My enthusiasm knew no bounds. I was only eight, but I was going to contribute in a meaningful way to the household income! For many days I had noticed the amount of food on my mother’s and grandmother’s plates becoming lesser and lesser as they divided the portions between all of us. The children were always fed first and I don’t remember any of us ever going hungry. Obviously, the women were compromising on their nutrition for us. I readily accepted Samsuddin’s offer.
However, my new job had to be fitted into my regular routine. My studies and school had to continue as before. The delivery business had to be accommodated amidst all these other activities. Among my siblings and cousins, I had shown an early aptitude for mathematics. My father had arranged for me to take tuitions from our mathematics teacher. However, my teacher had a condition that we students needed to reach his home at dawn after having taken a bath. So for a year, which was the duration of the tuition, I started my day while it was still dark outside, with my mother shaking me awake. She herself would have risen before me and got my bath ready. She would then help me bathe and send me on my way to my teacher’s home. There I would study for an hour and return by 5 a.m. By then my father would be ready to take me to the Arabic school nearby.
After my lesson was over, I would sprint to the railway station. Soon, the engine smoke would be visible in the distance. The horn would be tooted loudly and with a thunderous roar, the train would pass through the station. I had worked out the best spot from which to keep an eye out for the flying newspaper bundles. Like clockwork, they would be tossed out on to the platform. The train would then huff and puff away, Samsuddin’s person in
the train would wave out to me, and my job would begin. I then picked up the bundles, divided them up into batches according to the neighbourhood in which the papers had to be distributed and off I went. For about an hour, I tore around Rameswaram, delivering the papers to everyone. Soon I began to identify people by the papers they read. Many would be waiting for me, and there would always be a friendly word or two. Some would tell me to hurry back home so I would not be late for school! I think most people enjoyed being handed their papers by a cheerful eight year old.
Our town being on the east coast, by the time the work was over at 8 a.m., the sun would be high up in the sky. Now I headed back home, where my mother waited with breakfast. A simple meal would be served, but how hungry I was! My mother made sure I ate every morsel before sending me off to school. But my work did not end there. In the evening, after school was over, I would do the rounds of Samsuddin’s customers again, collecting dues. Then I would meet him, so that he could work out the accounts of the day.
At that time, sitting somewhere near the sea, with the breeze blowing in, Jalalluddin or Samsuddin would finally open up the day’s paper. All of us would pore over the black type of the Dinamani. One of us would read aloud the news items, and slowly the larger outside world would enter our consciousness. Gandhiji, Congress, Hitler, Periyar E.V. Ramasamy: their words would hang in the evening air. I would trace the photos and words with my fingers, wondering what it must be like to be out there in the larger world with all of them.
Maybe, I thought to myself, one day I would go to the big cities like Madras, Bombay and Calcutta. What would I say if I ever got to meet people like Gandhiji and Pandit Nehru? But such thoughts were soon interrupted by the calls of my playmates, and then the call for dinner. There was homework to be done, and even an eight-year-old has only that much energy to spend. By 9 p.m. I would be fast asleep, as the next day more studies and the life of a working man lay in store.
This routine continued for about a year. In that one year of running around with the papers, I grew taller and browner. I also learnt that I could now judge quite accurately the distances I could cover at a sprint with a bundle of papers in my hand. Hence, I could time my arrival at various localities at the same time every day. I could calculate in my head the amount owed to Samsuddin by each of his subscribers, and could reel off the names of those who had not paid up that day. Mostly, I learnt that to be a working man meant you had to be up and ready to face the day, whatever else may happen to you.
Homework, tuition, prayers, all carried on, but the Madras–Dhanushkodi Mail would not wait for me—I had to be present at the station at the correct time and at the correct point to collect the bundles as they came flying in. It was my first brush with taking up a responsibility and seeing to it that I kept my word to my cousin Samsuddin, no matter what. It was also the most enjoyable time and I loved every moment of it, often notwithstanding the intense tiredness every night.
My mother often fretted and fumed at my taking up this additional work and the toll it was taking on me, but I shook my head and smiled at her. Knowing that my earnings were somehow helping us all, and that she was secretly proud of me for having taken on the role of a working man at the age of eight, kept me going with a smile on my face.
A working man at the age of eight!
(An extract from A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s memoir, My Journey: Transforming Dreams into Actions.)
