One of the biggest disappointments in the last few years is the utter lack of distinction in Dr. Kalam's term as President. I understand completely that the office of President is that of a figurehead with no real power except the right to veto bills twice each (after which time their opinion matters no more).
Maybe I expected too much, but I certainly believed that a person who couldbuild a world class space program even in the midst of an entrenched bureaucracy could certainly succeed in moving the entire nation forward, in a concrete manner, even if it was just a few meters.
However, the only incident that has stuck to my mind at the end of his presidency is his consideration of a mercy plea for the Mumbai Blasts terrorists. Hundreds of school kids visited him every week and he wrote a few more books and articles. However, it would have been magical if he could have adopted a cause and truly brought a great deal of visibility to it, as ex-President Carter has with Africa and First Lady Hillary Clinton did with healthcare.
I thought that Dr. Kalam would not play the role of a "conventional" president, but it seems that I was mistaken.