Maulana Azad, The First Education Minister of India....

11th NOVEMBER

MAULANA AZAD DAY/NATIONAL EDUCATION DAY

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958)

"I am proud of being an Indian. I am part of the indivisible unity that is Indian nationality. I am indispensable to this noble edifice and without me this splendid structure is incomplete. I am an essential element, which has gone to build India. I can never surrender this claim."

Maulana Azad.

“We must not for a moment forget, it is a birth right of every individual to receive at least the basic education without which he cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen.”

Maulana Azad on Education.

"I have no doubt that the establishment of this Institute will form a landmark in the progress of higher technological education and research in the country."

Maulana Azad on setting up the IIT.

"Maulana Azad is the most forceful, truthful, and fearless satyagrahi and fighter against oppression and injustice that I have come across". Mahatma Gandhi on Maulana Azad.

“He was forty at the time he was born”. Sarojini Naidu on Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

"Though I am grateful to all my companions, I would like to mention especially Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, whose erudition has delighted me incredibly, and has sometimes overwhelmed me. In Azad along with the good qualities of the past, the graciousness, the deep learning and tolerance, there is a strange and unique mixture of the urges of today and the modern outlook". Jawaharlal Nehru on Maulana Azad.

Maulana Azad

• He was a Patriot, Freedom Fighter, Thinker, Nationalist, Moralist, Leader, Linguist, Poet, Journalist, Visionary, Writer, advocator of Secular and Undivided India, Renaissance figure of India and played a dynamic role to built India.

• He was total 11 years in jail means almost one six part of his whole life for the cause of India.

• Youngest and Longest serving Congress President in 1923 and form 1940-1946, 07 terms.

• Independent India’s First Education Minister and held the post until his death in 1958, means almost 11 years.

• From 1952 he also assumed charge of the Ministry of National Resources and Scientific Research.

• He appointed and established University Grant Commission (UGC) in 1953, Established Sahitya Academy in 1954, Established Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur in 1951, Established Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Banglore. Established CSIR for scientific works, Made Visva Bharati Santiniketan as a Central University in 1952, Established Central Institute of Education in 1947, Established Indian Academy of Dance, Drama and Music in 1953, Established Lalit Kala Academy in 1954, Established National Museum in 1947, Established All India Council for Teaching, Established Sangeet Natak Academy.

• Apart from all this he has taken many major decisions on Education and Scientific Research during 1947-1958, the early phase of India.

• Government of India has declared his birthday 11th November as National Education Day from 2008. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was posthumously awarded India's highest civilian honor, Bharat Ratna in 1992.

A SMALL TRIBUTE TO MAULANA AZAD