Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam National Memorial

This national memorial in Rameswaram honours A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the scientist known as India's Missile Man, who was born in the town, served as the 11th President of India and is buried here. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) planned and built it. The style mixes Mughal and Indian elements to stand for national unity: the main doorway is modelled on India Gate, the hall recalls the Brihadisvara Temple, the main dome echoes Rashtrapati Bhavan, and the Chettinad-style wooden doors were made in Thanjavur. Marble came from Karnataka and some stonework from Jaisalmer and Agra.

Under the dome is a bronze statue of Kalam playing the veena, and his grave lies in a round enclosure at the north end. Display halls hold models of rockets and missiles, including Agni, a replica of the Pokhran-II test site, murals and paintings brought from Kolkata and Santiniketan, and photographs from his childhood through his presidency, with audiovisual shows on his work. The Mughal-style gardens use plants from many states, and missile models line the paths.