India celebrates legacy of Maulana Azad as 'National education day'

Saima Siddiqui

Lucknow: India celebrates November 11 as 'National Education Day' to honour independent India's first education minister – Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. The date was chosen to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and has been celebrated on this day since 2008.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was born Maulana Sayyid Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad on November 11, 1888 in Mecca.

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#NationalEducationDay observed today to commemorate birth anniversary of #MaulanaAbulKalamAzad. pic.twitter.com/OfgTzBWcLe

— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) November 11, 2018

As today it is his 130th birth anniversary lets us know more about his role in the struggle of India's Independence and in the field of education:

• He always worked to bring harmony between Hindu-Muslims and believed in the unity of the two.
• He didn't want a seperate country for Indian muslims and always opposed the partition.
• He actively participated in Khilafat movement.
• He became the youngest president of Indian National Congress on 1923.
• He headed Congress as its president from 1940-1945.
• After Indiependence he was elected an MLA from Uttar Pardesh's Rampur district and also became the first education minister of free India.
• He was a revolutionary and also participated in Salt March (Dharasana Satyagraha) led by our National father Mahatma Gandhi.

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• He was conferred with India's Highest civilian award Bharat Ratna, after his demise, on 1992.
• He is fondly known as Maulana Azad: the word Maulana is an honorific meaning 'Our Master'.
• He had adopted Azad (Free) as his pen name.
• Speaking at All India Education on January 16, 1948, Abul Kalam had said, "We must not for a moment forget, it is a birthright of every individual to receive at least the basic education without which he cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen."
• His contribution to establishing the education foundation in India is recognised by celebrating his birthday as "National Education Day" across India.

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