Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was the first education minister of Independent India (15th August 1947 – 2nd February 1958). His full name was Sayyid Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al Hussaini Azad, he was born on November 11, 1888, in Mecca, Islam’s main centre of pilgrimage. Maulana was homeschooled and self-taught, he knew many languages including English, Arabic, English, Urdu, Hindi, Persian and Bengali.
Maulana Abul Kalam Contribution:
As India’s first Minister of Education, he emphasized on educating the rural poor and girls.
He was one of the founding members of the Jamia Milia Islamia University, which was originally established in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh.
As India's first Minister of Education, he has been responsible for laying the building blocks that are shaping the modern education system of the country.
As Chairman of the Central Advisory Board of Education, he also focused on adult literacy, free and compulsory for all kids up to the age of 14, universal primary education, and diversification of secondary education and vocational training.
He oversaw the Central Institute of Education, Delhi, which later became the Department of Education of the University of Delhi as “a research centre for solving new educational problems of India".
Under his leadership, the Ministry of Education established the first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in 1951 and the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 1953.
He also backed the development of the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and the Faculty of Technology of the Delhi University.
Owing to his significant contribution in the field of education, the legendary man is fondly remembered till today. His birth anniversary (11th November) is celebrated as the National Education Day in India. He was posthumously honoured with Bharat Ratna in 1992.
In the words of Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana was truly “Mir-i-Karawan” (the caravan leader). “A very brave and gallant gentleman, a finished product of the culture”.
WRITER- PINKY BOTHRA
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