who were abdul kalam's school friends what did they later become
Abdul Kalam’s three close school friends were Ramanadha Sastry , Aravindan , and Sivaprakasan.
Later in life, each of them took up simple, service‑oriented roles connected to their hometown Rameswaram.
Who were Abdul Kalam’s school friends?
From his childhood in Rameswaram, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam mentions three intimate school friends.
- Ramanadha (or Ramanandha) Sastry.
- Aravindan.
- Sivaprakasan (also written Sivaprakashan/Shivaprakasan).
All three came from traditional Hindu Brahmin families, while Kalam came from a Muslim family, and their friendship is often highlighted as an example of communal harmony in his childhood.
What did they later become?
As adults, their paths stayed closely tied to the temple town and its pilgrims.
- Ramanadha Sastry became the priest (or high priest) of the Rameswaram temple, inheriting the role from his father.
- Aravindan started a small business arranging transport for pilgrims visiting Rameswaram.
- Sivaprakasan became a catering contractor for the Southern Railways, providing food services to travelers.
Quick fact table
| Friend’s name | Later occupation | Connection to Rameswaram |
|---|---|---|
| Ramanadha Sastry | Priest/high priest of Rameswaram temple | [5][9][10][1]Served in the main Rameswaram temple like his father | [9][5]
| Aravindan | Ran a business arranging transport for pilgrims | [3][10][1][5][9]Helped visitors travel to and around the pilgrimage town | [3][5][9]
| Sivaprakasan | Catering contractor for Southern Railways | [10][1][5][9][3]Served food to passengers traveling through the region | [9][10][3]
In short, when you ask “who were Abdul Kalam’s school friends, what did they later become,” the standard textbook answer is:
Ramanadha Sastry – priest of Rameswaram temple; Aravindan – transport business for pilgrims; Sivaprakasan – catering contractor for Southern Railways.
TL;DR: Abdul Kalam’s school friends were Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan; they grew up to be a temple priest, a pilgrims’ transport businessman, and a railway catering contractor respectively.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
