India's President A P J Abdul Kalam, who turned 75 on October 15, is a man of many talents and faculties. Besides being a scientist, he is also known for his writings, including poems.
As a tribute to him, New York-based Oriental Records has produced a musical album Samarpanam, containing two of his poems, O Manidha Jathiye and O Annaiye, Annaiye.
The poems were set to music by Rangasami Parthasarathy, composer and founder of the Oriental Records. O Manidha Jathiye was sung by S P Balasubramaniam and O Annaiye Annaiye by P Unnikrishnan, both celebrated playback singers.
The CD also contains O Kutti Maane, Kutti Maane, an emotional tribute to Kalam sung by Balasubramaniam and written by Y S Rajan, who, with the Indian President, co-authored India 2020: A Vision for the New Millennium.
Madhidha Jathiye reflects on the mysteries of man's little time on the planet. Annaiye pays tribute to the author's mother, who brought her family through a great many problems.
'When I heard [O Annaiye Annaiye] my mother appeared in front of me and tears rolled down my eyes,' Dr Kalam said in a letter to Parthasarthy.
'The music composed by you on the three poems is excellent and the right choice of raagas,' he said.
'You have indeed taken it as a mission,' the President said in his congratulatory message to Parthasarathy and the artists.