Presidency of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was started from 25 July 2002 when Abdul Kalam took oath as the eleventh President of India.

[1] In 2002, soon after assuming office, the President announced his decision to visit the state of Gujarat, which had been struck by an earthquake as well as deadly riots.

[2] In his book Turning Points, Kalam wrote that he undertook the visit despite Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's objections.

[3][4] Kalam opposed capital punishment, and sent back nearly 50 cases of capital punishment for reconsideration, listing out reasons why clemency should be considered in each case.

[5] He commuted one death sentence, and rejected only one mercy petition (that of Dhananjoy Chatterjee, who was executed in 2004).