Amber G please list anything that Prof Kalam has done in nuclear science field! I will be highly obliged to be educated on nuclear research done by the best nuclear scientist that you know of. Anything in public domain will do, even his education, training or professional experience.
Arunji – Sure. The man has been Chief Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Secretary, Department of Defence Research & Development from many years, prior to and during POK II etc, it will be virtually impossible that the man did not learn more nuclear science then many of the PhD’s or wiki trained Fusion experts we know.
If some narrow meaning of the word “nuclear scientist” (eg PhD degree, or formal papers in public domain) is what you are insisting on, that’s non sequitur, like insisting on DNA sequencing for the title “father” of atomic bomb for Oppenheimer.
Any way, point is, notice the word ‘known’ (as in ‘known as nuclear scientist), and then you will not even need my help, just do a nexis/lexis search (or even google) and you would find that APJ is indeed referred as ‘nuclear scientist’ by sources as diverse as Newsweek to Dawn. For that matter, if you looked at the whole sentence quoted by Ramana, you would see that that phrase indeed, if I am not mistaken, was used by a media, sourced by other media, and ddm or no ddm word ‘known’ is apt.
Okay, Let us agree to disagree about what is the criteria to be called “nuclear scientist”. But then , for perspective, I am sure you know, there were many who vigorously argued against Hardy and questioned “Is Ramanujan even a mathematician” when Hardy wanted to Invite Ramanujan to Cambridge, and again when he nominated him for FRS.
But what concerns me, (gentle readers please read the whole material so that I am not accused of taking something out of context and then try to understand) is the following peculiar sentence:
Prof APJ Kalam is known to not correct or reprimanded reporter or hosts when they introduce and glorify him as country's top nuclear scientist.
*****
Where in my post did I say anything to make Prof Kalam any less of a person? Please do not attribute to me something I have not said.
It is reasonable that some one, might wonder …why all these emphasis and emoticons in the original piece?
As I said, given, IMO , that ‘baharat-ratna’ or president is more ‘glorifying’ than ‘nuclear scientist’. I think, it may be possible that some may say that you are hinting that a PhD is more glorifying then ‘Prof’ or ‘bharat-ratna’, and APJ has no shame, having known, ‘not to correct’ when some one address him with a title which may imply PhD, and can ‘glorify’ him more than he deserves.
Notice that I am not implying that, but, may be, just may be, some one else, less charitable than me, might think that. Hope that helps.
Finally have we really run out of real arguments that we have to resort to innuendos and non-value-theorems ( “only DDM and editors responsible for dorkiness?” or “scientists do not make good managers” ( I am paraphrasing, exact quotes and context is in messages in this thread) ?
As Ramnaji said, APJ ought to be judged by arguments in his own merit, and that ought to apply to Bradmins and members of this esteemed forum too.
Regards.
:
(that is all, and no I dont see any hypocrisy on why few and not everyone.. sorry that is the way it is). It is in India's national interest to see that nukes are only in the hands of a few. We should support America's Non Proliferation attempts and I hope they succeed. Think over it. Defanging North Korea makes it one rogue less (esp to trade with the Pakis..) same with Libyans and Iranians. Does India's security get better if North Korea, Iran,Libya and a lot of others have nukes or does it get worse ? .. 
(as long as india is an insider in the club), maybe you should learn to like it!!
