The Missile Man of India must be acknowledged as a jinxer-par-excellence in the entire history of humankind.

What kind of a doomsayer jinxes an entire year like that? What led the great man to inflict such a curse upon humanity in general, and Indians in particular?

In his book India 2020:A Vision for the New Millennium, which he wrote in 1998, he delved upon an action plan to develop India into a strong nation by 2020.

Strong nation, indeed!

Taking on China, China Virus, Pakistan, Nepal, super-cyclone and economic recession- all at the same time.

 

The title of the book is/was quite catchy, which became a bestseller. Prof.Kalam has been a revered figure in India, rightly considered a Rashtriya Rishi. The title ‘India 2020’ was considered lofty in the first decade of the millennium, and a chimera after that. In the past five years, the ‘Vision’ has seemed like an indictment of our choices and outcomes. Yet no one was prepared for the burlesque that 2020 has turned out to be.

 

Now we know, Sir, that you pushed a horror story as a vision of greatness. This is extraordinary level of black humour. Perhaps, Stanley Kubrick would have made a film on your book.

 

Kalam Sir, Leftists saw through your gentle demeanour, and recognized the nuclear sadist that resided in you. Your ‘Symphony Number 2020’ has already surpassed their reddest of the red dreams.

 

I wonder what that pretender Eric Arthur Blair who went by his pen name George Orwell felt about the damp squib that the year 1984 turned out to be.

Arthur C. Clarke’s ambitious ‘2001’ atleast saw some action by the jihadis. Please ask him, Kalam Sir, if you find that recluse hiding in some tree, if 9/11 satisfied him adequately? Also Please clarify satisfy a query, if A in APJ stands for Arthur?

 

If you can share the self-appraisal of your vision for 2020, it might help us in coming to terms or even prepare for the worse to come. Although we would understand that you might want to wait till the end of the year, considering that China is still in an aggressive mode on all its borders, China Virus is still untamed and untameable, floods’ and dengue season is knocking at our doors, minor earthquakes are threatening to provide one major shock, Bhutan has still not spoken against India, aliens are trying to find their way to Earth, Trump is yet to get re-elected, machines have not yet started disobeying man and North Korea has desisted from launching ICBMs.

I have not read your book Beyond 2020.I don’t intend to either.Not in 2020 at any rate. I, and the world, shall pick it in January 2021,if your vision does turn into the final nightmare.