After opting out of the race for Raisina Hill, former President A P J Abdul Kalam has test-fired an upgraded “missile”, ‘Billion Beats’ from his new-found-love-launchpad, Facebook (FB). Targeted at the youth, it aims to make his mission, Vision-2020, more interactive.
Billion Beats(www.facebook.com/kalamBillionbeats) is Dr Kalam’s e-paper launched in 2007 to capture the success stories of Indians.
In its new avatar on FB, it will offer a platform for the youth to share their innovative ideas and thereby making them a part of his campaign to turn India into a developed nation by 2020.
“Through this FB page, Kalam will share his unique moments in life, his interaction with people and achievers over the years. He will celebrate the success of fellow Indians who have contributed towards nation development and encourage the youth to come forward with innovative ideas,” a close aide of Kalam V Ponraj said.
“He will use the Billion Beats platform to write on development agenda, in addition to help the youth focus on their goals,” he added.
For over a decade he had made www.abdulkalam.com as a one-point contact for his followers to reach him. Making his online presence vibrant, Kalam first hit the FB this February (www.facebook.com/OfficialKalam), which has close to 10 lakh likes. For Billion Beats, it is a rebirth considering that it was launched with a huge fanfare in Karimnagar on November 14, 2007, in the presence of over a lakh students.
“Billion Beats was an instant hit with youngsters and it gave an opportunity to every one to contribute success stories of Indians.
Housewives, retired officials, schoolchildren, pilots, doctors and many more turned writers and we published many inspiring stories,” Kalam’s aide said. While the initiative lost steam mid-way, it is Kalam’s liking for the concept which has seen it’s revival again.
With a dedicated website, two FB accounts, non-stop emails, flood of letters, whirlwind tours, lecture series and formal functions, the man who has seen 80 summers, has his hands full.
“He would not let go of any opportunity to meet people and the current effort is to stay connected with as many number of people as possible,” say his aides.