KOCHI: Camaraderie is a word that many don’t take lightly. A friendship formed in many ways can’t be severed even by death. But the pain is unbearable when the person you hold dear leaves you and moves to heavenly abode. After losing her mentor Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, former President of India, Indira Rajan, the secretary-general of the Indian Council of CBSE Schools, lost another link that kept her attached to the memories of the great man.
A P J Mohammed Muthu Meera Lebbai Maraikayar, the eldest brother of the late President, passed away on Sunday. “The day I visited the former President’s village after his death is etched vividly in my memory,” she said. When Indira arrived at the former President’s ancestral home three days after his death, she found a heart-broken old man inside.
“The man was the eldest brother of Dr Kalam,” she said. She said, “I still remember the eyes brimming with tears and the broken voice in which he recalled his younger brother’s life and achievements.” The very first sentence that he uttered showcased his admiration for Dr Kalam, she added.“He told me, ‘He was a great man’,” said Indira. Dr Kalam’s brother, who was 104-years-old, was not keeping well for quite some time. “Just like his younger brother, Mohammed valued education even though he was not very literate himself. He owned a fishing boat and also used to operate a ferry from Rameshwaram to Sri Lanka,” said Indira. Mohammed’s funeral was held on Monday at a mosque at Rameshwaram.
“Even though Mohammed was a grand old man, he was still going strong as the patriarch of the family. Every member of the family revered him. Until his death, he would attend every phone call or take care of the needs of a large number of grandchildren,” she said. According to her, his grandson A P J Sheik Salim recalled how his father would get worried when Dr Kalam missed calling him over the phone.
“His death is a great personal loss. Dr Kalam’s death was a big blow to me and during my visit, I went to the cemetery and collected a handful of soil from the grave. This I have kept as a remembrance near the Elanji tree that the former President had planted during his visit to my school in Perumbavoor,” added Indira.