Who inaugurated the Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Memorial in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, to honour the former President of India?

Introduction / Context:
Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, often called the Missile Man of India, served as President of India and is widely respected for his contributions to science, defence, education and youth inspiration. A memorial dedicated to him was set up in his hometown of Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. The inauguration of this memorial was an important national event and naturally became a topic for current affairs questions in various competitive exams. This question asks which leader formally inaugurated the Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Memorial.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The memorial is in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu.
- It is dedicated to former President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.
- Options for the person who inaugurated it are Narendra Modi, O. Panneerselvam, Pranab Mukherjee and K. Palaniswami.
- The event is treated as a national level ceremony, not just a state level function.

Concept / Approach:
Given Dr. Kalam's national stature, the inauguration of his memorial was performed by the Prime Minister of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Memorial in Rameswaram, where he also paid tributes and interacted with local people and officials. Although state leaders and other dignitaries were present or associated with the event, the central figure who formally inaugurated the memorial was Narendra Modi, which is the key fact tested in this question.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall news coverage around the inauguration of the Dr. Abdul Kalam Memorial in Rameswaram.
Step 2: Remember that the Prime Minister of India visited Rameswaram for this event.
Step 3: Identify that at the time of inauguration, Narendra Modi was serving as Prime Minister.
Step 4: Compare the options and recognise that while Pranab Mukherjee was President for part of the same period and state leaders like O. Panneerselvam and K. Palaniswami were in Tamil Nadu politics, the inauguration was credited to the Prime Minister.
Step 5: Select “Narendra Modi” as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Newspaper articles, television news and exam magazines reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Kalam memorial and addressed gatherings in Rameswaram. Many exam capsules summarised the event in one line: “Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Memorial at Rameswaram.” Remembering this standard phrasing is enough to verify that Narendra Modi is the correct option in this general knowledge question.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- O. Panneerselvam: A senior leader in Tamil Nadu politics and former Chief Minister, but he did not inaugurate the memorial as the main central figure in this event.
- Pranab Mukherjee: Former President of India, and he may have paid respect to Dr. Kalam at other times, but the memorial inauguration ceremony at Rameswaram was conducted by the Prime Minister, not the President.
- K. Palaniswami: Another Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, but again, the national level inauguration associated with this memorial is credited to the Prime Minister.

Common Pitfalls:
Candidates sometimes confuse who inaugurates which monument or memorial, especially when both the President and the Prime Minister, along with state leaders, attend various events. Some may think that, because Dr. Kalam was a President, the current President would have inaugurated his memorial. However, in this case, widely publicised coverage clearly showed the Prime Minister taking that role. Keeping a short list of important memorials and who inaugurated them, especially for well known personalities, can help avoid such confusion in the exam hall.

Final Answer:
The Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam Memorial in Rameswaram was inaugurated by Narendra Modi.