Chapter 6 “My Childhood” from the Class 9 English Beehive book is an inspiring autobiography of Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. This chapter included in the Class 9 English syllabus highlights his early life, upbringing, values, and the important influences that shaped his character.
Preparing the Important Questions for Class 9 English Beehive Chapter 6 helps students understand key ideas, character sketches, moral values, and writing-based questions effectively. These curated questions ensure that students grasp essential details and develop strong answers for school exams.
My Childhood Important Questions with Answers
Below are My Childhood Important Questions given along with the answers:
1.What do you know about A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s family after reading the lesson “My childhood”?
Sol. A.PJ. Abdul Kalam tells us that his family was a Tamil middle class family from Rameshwaram. His father Jainulabdeen was not very educated, wasn’t rich but was generous, wise, simple and very strict. His mother, Ashiamma, was a generous lady, and enjoyed feeding others. Kalam’s family respected all religions. They took part in Hindu festivals. His mother and grandmother told him stories from Ramayana. They always showered their love on their children and never forced their thoughts on them.
2. What incident took place at the Rameshwaram Elementry School when a new teacher came to the class?
Sol. Kalam used to wear a cap and Ramanandha Sastry wore a sacred thread which marked him to be a Brahmin. When the new teacher came he could not tolerate a Hindu priest’s son sitting with a Muslim boy. He ordered Kalam to go and sit on the back bench. This made Ramanandha sad. Abdul started to sit in the last row but it left a bad impression on Abdul. Both the kids narrated the incident to their parents. As a result the teacher was rebuked and reprimanded for spreading communalism and hatred among children.
3. How did Abdul Kalam earn his “first wages”? How did he feel at that time?
Sol. Kalam was only 8 years old when the second world war broke out in 1939. Then there was a great demand for tamarind seeds. Abdul used to collect those seeds and sell them in the market. His cousin Shamsuddin distributed newspapers. The train would not stop at Rameshwaram and the bundles of newspapers were thrown from the running train. Abdul was employed by his cousin to collect them. This way he earned his first wages. He felt very proud on earning his first wage.
4. “Once you decide to change the system, such problems have to be confronted.” What system is being referred to in this sentence from the chapter “My Childhood”? What are such problems?
Sol. System means system of discrimination on the basis of religion. The system includes the narrow- mindedness and poison of social inequality and communal intolerance. The Brahmins did not allow Muslims to enter their kitchen. The science teacher – a rebel by nature, invited Kalam to his home and proved that if one is determined to face problems and change the system, he will definitely succeed. Though, such instances come in everybody’s life but a person should have a broader outlook and overcome such obstacles.
5. How was the Science teacher Siva Subramaniam Iyer, though a Brahmin with a very conservative wife, a friend of Abdul? Give examples from the text to support your answer.
Sol. The Science teacher, Siva Subramaniam Iyer, wanted to break the social barriers between the Hindus and the Muslims. He wanted Kalam to be very highly educated as he recognized his intelligence. One day, he invited him over to a meal. His orthodox wife was totally horrified at the idea of a Muslim boy dining in her ritually pure kitchen. He did not mind anything said by his very conservative wife. He rather served the food to Abdul by his own hands. He also sat with him and dined together as well as invited him over again for another meal the coming weekend. Thus, this shows that he was a friend of Abdul Kalam even though Kalam was a Muslim and he himself was a Brahmin.
Value Based Question
1.Childhood is a formative phase of a child’s life. The lessons learnt during the period always stay with a person. Comment on this in the light of the lesson My Childhood.
Sol. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam is one of the finest scientists in our country and was also our eleventh President. From his autobiography “Wings of Fire” it is amply clear that lessons learnt in our childhood not only shape our personality but also decide the kind of person we become. He learnt the lessons of religious tolerance, honesty and self-discipline early in his life. These qualities stayed with him throughout his life and have helped to make him one of the finest presidents of our country.
Extract Based Questions
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
1.During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony, our family used to arrange boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site, situated in the middle of the pond called Rama Tirtha which was near our house.
(i) What was the annual event held in Rameshwaram?
Sol. The annual event held in Rameshwaram was Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony.
(ii). Where did the boats carry the idols of the Lord?
Sol. The boats carried the idols of the Lord in the middle of the pond on the site of the marriage (or ceremony or function).
(iii). Find a word from the passage that means “images of God”.
Sol. Idols.
2. During the annual Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony, our family used to arrange boats with a special platform for carrying idols of the Lord from the temple to the marriage site, situated in the middle of the pond called Rama Tirtha which was near our house. Events from the Ramayana and from the life of the Prophet were the bedtime stories my mother and grandmother would tell the children in our family.
(i) How did the speaker’s family help in Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony?
Sol. The speaker’s family used to help in Shri Sita Rama Kalyanam Ceremony by arranging boats with a special platform for carrying idols.
(ii) What light does the passage throw on the speaker’s family?
Sol. The passage shows that the speaker’s family is a truly secular family which respected other religions also.
(iii) Find the word in the passage which means the same “the place where some event takes place”.
Sol. Site.
3. After school, we went home and told our respective parents about the incident. Lakshmana Sastry summoned the teacher, and in our presence, told the teacher that he should not spread the poison of social inequality and communal intolerance in the minds of innocent children. He bluntly asked the teacher to either apologize or quit the school and the island. Not only did the teacher regret his behaviour, but the strong sense of conviction. Lakshmana Sastry conveyed ultimately reformed this young teacher.
(i) What brought about a change in the teacher?
Sol. The strong sense of conviction that Lakshmana Sastry conveyed brought about a change in the teacher.
(ii) What kind of society did the speaker live in?
Sol. The speaker lived in a society which was truly secular.
(iii) Find the word/phrase in the passage which means “strong opinion or belief”.
Sol. Conviction.
4. His wife watched us from behind the kitchen door. I wondered whether she had observed any difference in the way I ate rice, drank water or cleaned the floor after the meal. When I was leaving his house, Sivasubramaniam invited me to join him for dinner the next weekend. Observing my habitation, he told me not to get upset, saying “Once you decide to change the system, such problems have to be confronted.” When I visited his house next week, Sivasubramaniam Iyer’s wife took me inside her kitchen and served me food with her own hands.
(i) Why did the teacher’s wife watched them from behind the kitchen door?
Sol. The teacher’s wife believed in the segregation of different people. She did not want APJ Kalam to enter her kitchen and serve food. She as a result hid behind kitchen door and saw everything.
(ii) Why was the narrator hesitant to eat food, with a Hindu family?
Sol. The narrator felt hesitant to eat food with a Hindu family because he felt he was not welcomed in the family.
(iii) Find the word from the passage that means “to deal with”
Sol. Confronted One day, he invited me to his home for a meal. His wife was horrified at the idea of a Muslim boy being invited to dine in her ritually pure kitchen. She refused to serve me in her kitchen.
5. Sivasubramaniam Iyer was not perturbed, nor did he get angry with his wife, but instead, served me’ with his own hands and sat down beside me to eat his meal. (i) Who is “he” and “me” in the first sentence?
Sol. “He” is Sivasubramania Iyer, and “me” is Abdul Kalam. (ii) Why was his wife horrified? Sol. His wife was horrified at the idea of serving food to a Muslim boy in her kitchen. (iii) Find the word from the passage that means “agitated/upset”. Sol. Perturbed
Tips to Prepare Chapter 6: My Childhood
Preparing this chapter becomes much easier when you follow a proper strategy. Since My Childhood Class 9 important questions often focus on values, characters, and events, understanding the emotional and moral aspects is essential.
-
Understand the Timeline of Events like the key childhood events of Kalam, family background, teachers, friends, and turning points. This helps you answer long questions confidently.
-
Themes like unity, equality, discipline, and hard work appear repeatedly in questions. Make short notes on each value with examples from the chapter.
-
Practice Character Sketch Questions. Learn about the characters like Kalam, his parents, and teachers appear in exams. Prepare 5–6-line character sketches for quick revision.
-
Memorize Quotation-Based Answers. Pick at least 3–4 lines from the chapter and practice explaining them.
-
Most schools repeat important questions of My Childhood in exams. Solving past papers boosts confidence and improves answer framing.
Related Links