The full form of FAIL is First Attempt In Learning

“Don’t take rest after your first victory because if you fail in second, more lips are waiting to say that your first victory was just luck.” These were the words of late President A P J Abdul Kalam which he lived by till the last moment.

83-year-old Kalam, who collapsed while delivering a lecture at IIM, Shillong, and died, was a daring President who undertook a submarine sortie, flew Sukhoi jet, visited Siachen glacier, world’s highest battlefield and interacted with troops at the Line of Control.

But probably none as daring as a night-time flight from Aizawl airport that took off after the runway was illuminated with lanterns and torches.

This occurred one evening in 2005 when Kalam, always wearing a genial smile, had completed all his official engagements during his visit to Mizoram and was scheduled to leave the next morning. But a restless Kalam decided to take off for Delhi at night, one of his senior aides recalled.