When he was president, he was popularly known as the "People's President". He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour in 1997. He has also been a professor (of aerospace engineering). Kalam is the first Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram (IIST). Kalam’s contribution in the field of space sciences has been immense. He also contributed in India’s civilian space programme and military missile development, and so he got the title of India’s “Missile Man”. People assume him to be one of the most powerful yet caring president in the history of Independent India.