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As Dr.A.P.J. Abdul Kalam completes his five-year term as the President of India (it's eleventh), it is an opportune time to look back on his legacy.

Dr.Abdul Kalam spent most of his adult life as a scientist - working on some of India's most prestigious projects (Space missions, missile development). It were these works that earned him many admirers, the nickname - the missile man and the Presidency.

Through his many speeches, articles and books, Dr.Kalam set out a vision for India - a vision to see India as a developed country by the year 2020. True to his words, he made the Presidential Palace (Rastrapathi Bhavan) as People's Bhavan - and himself - the People's President. During his tenure, he made it a point to meet as many people as he could - especially children - to inspire them to dream and work towards the vision he had set out.

Without any question, in recent times at least, he would rank as the most popular President of India. The reach of the media (which almost universally loved him) helping his cause no doubt.

There are a few worrying aspects though in his espousals of a few causes. The vision Dr.Kalam has for India is far different from the vision another famous Indian had for India - in one crucial aspect. Whereas Mahatma Gandhi dreamt of a pacifist India, Dr.Kalam's dream is for an assertive India. Dr.Kalam wants India to acquire a macho image.

A few could argue the times the two lived are different and the current global scenario doesn't allow pacifism to be followed as a national policy. One cannot but wonder - non-violence as espoused by Mahatma Gandhi in early 20th Century too was a radical and seemingly incompatible idea for its time. . Whereas Mahatma Gandhi inspired millions across the globe with his peace message, Dr.Kalam - wittingly or unwittingly - gave many Indian radical nationalists a weapon and two to toy with. It is easy to swim with the tide than swim against it.

Despite this, one must not forget that Dr.Kalam wasn't just the missile man, he also espoused several other peaceful causes. PURA for instance. PURA stands for Provision of Urban Amenities in Rural Areas, a self-explanatory model to change the lives of millions of rural Indians.

Dr.Kalam also wanted the Indian political system to focus more on developmental politics - rather than on divisive and competitive politics.

The post of President in India is largely a ceremonial one - much prestige and less power. Dr.Kalam verily understood this limitation and used the platform the presidency provided to reach out to as many as he could - with his vision. Though not much changed during his five years in office, he did succeed in putting a few important issues on the plate for the country to consider. This - in a nutshell - will be his legacy.