[1] In the autobiography, Kalam examines his early life, effort, hardship, fortitude, luck and chance that eventually led him to lead Indian space research, nuclear and missile programs.

Kalam started his career, after graduating from Aerospace engineering at Madras Institute of Technology, at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and was assigned to build a hovercraft prototype.

He had an unparalleled career as a defence scientist, culminating in the highest civilian award of India, Bharat Ratna.

This is the story of Kalam's own rise from obscurity and his personal and professional struggles, as well as the story of AGNI, TRISHUL, and NAG missiles that have become household names in India and that have raised the nation to the level of a missile power of international reckoning.

He was a man of great wisdom and kindness, and Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry, a close friend of his father and the head priest of the Rameswaram Temple.

In the later part of the opening chapters, he introduces his cousin Samsuddin, his school teachers, and all the people who have felt any difference amongst them.

At Madras Institute of Technology, their teachers shaped his thoughts, Sponder, Kal Pandalai, and Narasingalu Rao.

Later, he was appointed in DTP and PC (Air) as senior scientific Assistant on a basic salary only of Rs.

On closer examination, he found that the painting depicted Tipu Sultan's army fighting the British.

Kalam took the bereavement with courage and remembered these words written on the death of William Butler Yeats by his friend Auden, and his father: A pleasant surprise came in the form of conferment of Padma Bhushan on Republic Day, 1981.

In this section, his excellent leadership qualities as taking up the responsibility of shaping up the Guided Missile Development Program, are clearly visible.

In this phase of the life, Kalam was responsible for the development of the 5 missiles – Prithvi, Trishul, Akash, Nag and Agni.