MAULANA ABUL

KALAM AZAD

Indian Muslim Scholar 1

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Born on 11 November 1888

Died on 22 February 19583

Minister of Education

15 August 1947-1958 4

Azad Mastered Several Languages

including Pashtu, Urdu, Arabic, Hindko,

Persian, Bangla and Hindi 5

Azad joined the congress and was also elected

president of the All India Khilafat Committee

He served as congress president from 1940-1945 during

which the Quit India rebellion was launched6

Azad grew personally close to Gandhi and his

philosophy and remained firmly committed to

Gandhi’s ideals and leadership.7

Becoming deeply committed to Non-violence

(Ahimsa) Azad developed a close friendship

with fellow Nationalists like Jawaharlal Nehru,

Chittaranjan Das and Subash Chandra Bose.8

Azad and his friend Nehru began espousing

socialism as the means to fight inequality,

poverty and other national challenges.9

At the age of twelve in 1903,brought out a

monthly journal “ Lissan-us-sidq”-which soon

gained popularity

Azad contributed learned articles to “Makhzan”

(the best known literary magazine of the day )at

fourteen.10

Azad had promoted nationalism and rejected the

All India Muslim League’s communal separatism.11

When Gandhi embarked on the Dandi salt march that inaugurated

the salt satyagraha in 1930, Azad organised and led the nationalist

raid, although non-violent on the Dharsana salt works in order to

protest the salt tax and restriction of its production and sale.

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Azad joined the congress vehement rejection of Jinnah’s

demand that the Muslim League be seen exclusively as

the representative of Indian Muslims. 13

• Azad criticized severely against Jinnah’s ‘Two nation

theory’ and advised all Muslims to preserve a united

India, as all Hindus and Muslims were Indians who

shared deep bonds of brotherhood and nationhood. 14

• Supporting the call for the British to ‘Quit India’ Azad

began exhorting thousands of people in rallies across

the nation to prepare for a definitive all out struggle.15

• The British agreed to transfer power to Indian hands in

1946,Azad led the congress in the elections for the new

constituent assembly of India which would draft

India’s constitution.

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• During the communal violence Azad travelled

across Bengal and Bihar to calm the tensions and

heal relations between Muslims and Hindus.18

Inspite of being a learned scholar of Islam and a

Maulana, Azad had been assailed by Muslim

religious leaders for his commitment to

nationalism and secularism.19

As India’s first minister of Education he gave thrust to

adult illiteracy, universal primary Education, free and

compulsory for all children up to the age of 14, girl’s

education and diversification of secondary Education

and vocational training.20

• Addressing the conference on ‘All India

Education’ on January 16,1948 Maulana Azad

emphasized, ‘We must not for a moment forget,

it is a birthright of every individual to receive

atleast the basic education without which he

cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen.21

Under his leadership, the ministry of Education

established the first Indian Institute of Technology in

1951 and the University Grant Commission in 1953.

22

Azad also laid emphasis on the development of the Indian

Institute of Science, Bangalore and the Faculty of

Technology of the Delhi University.23

His firm belief in Hindu Muslim unity earned him the respect

of Hindu community and he still remains one of the most

important symbols of communal harmony in modern India.

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Numerous institutions across India

have been named in his honour.

Maulana Azad Medical College New Delhi

Maulana Azad National Urdu University Hydrabad

Maulana Azad Institute of Technology Bhopal

Maulana Azad Centre for Elementary and

social Education

Delhi

Maulana Azad college Calcutta

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• Jawaharlal Nehru refered to to him as Mir-I-Karawan

( the caravan leader), “a very brave and gentleman, a

finished product of the culture that, in these days

pertains to few”

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JOURNALIST

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POLITICIAN28

EDUCATIONIST

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FREEDOM FIGHTER

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Mahatma Gandhi remarked about Azad, “The

emperor of learning, a person of the calibre of

Plato, Aristotle and Pythagorus.”32

HIS BIRTHDAY (NOVEMBER 11) IS CELEBRATED AS

NATIONAL EDUCATION DAY IN INDIA.

Prepared by

Dr. K. Thiyagu, Department of Education, CUK

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