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Former President A P J Abdul Kalam had appreciated a constable, moments before he collapsed at the Indian Institute of Management and died, for remaining alert throughout the day.

East Khasi Hills district SP M Kharkrang said, "The former President congratulated an SOT (special operation team) personnel for being alert throughout the road trip from Guwahati to Shillong last evening.”

The personal seems to have got scared at first after Kalam summoned him. But later the ‘Missile man’ acknowledged the constable for being alert and doing his duty properly.

"What makes him truly great is his acknowledgement of the simple things in life done rightly", Kharkrang said.

At 5:40pm, Kalam arrived at the IIM guesthouse in Shillong and as he began to deliver a lecture on 'Creating a live-able planet', he collapsed due to a massive cardiac arrest. He was rushed to nearby Bethany hospital and was declared dead at 7:45pm by the medical board of the hospital.

As a mark of respect to the former President who has taken his last breath in the city, Meghalaya government has announced a state holiday on Tuesday. The most popular President, Kalam became the 11th President of India and occupied the post between 2002 and 2007.

-Sumana