Today, 22 February marks the 65th death anniversary of independent India’s first education minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Azad, better known by his pen name Maulana Azad, was born on November 11th, 1888 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. He was a well-known independence fighter in India who battled against British rule as well as Pakistan's creation because he supported the idea of a secular and undivided India.
Azad was one of the most important and well-known activists throughout India's war for independence. The Indian National Congress (INC) senior leader and Islamic theologian made significant contributions to education as well.
In 1958, Azad breathed his last. Here are some fascinating details about the former president of INC on the occasion of his passing:
Originally known as Sayyid Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al Hussaini, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was an Indian national. He spoke Bengali, English, Bengali, Hindi, Persian, and Arabic with ease.
Azad was in charge of a library, a debate group, and a reading room at a very young age. He began writing Urdu poetry when he was a youngster and began instructing people who were twice his age. Azad finished the regular educational programme at the age of 16.
Azad was against the British Raj as a child because of its racial injustice. After that, he turned nationalist and was crucial to the country's independence effort.
His journalism career allowed him to publish works that were critical of British rule, which helped him establish his personality and rise to fame.
Azad eventually rose to prominence as a key figure in Mahatma Gandhi's nonviolent civil disobedience movement. Azad, who was 35 at the time, held the INC presidency in 1923 as the INC's youngest leader.
Azad was India's first independent education minister from 1947 to 1958. Later in 1992, he received the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour.
Inspiring Quotes by Azad:
As a child of God, I am greater than anything that can happen to me.
Many people plant trees but few of them get fruit of it.
Slavery is worst even if it bears beautiful names.
Teaching by tongue can be perspired but by good deed can stay stronger.
Education imparted by heart can bring revolution in the society.
Educationists should build the capacities of the spirit of inquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among students and become their role model.
Great dreams of great dreamers are always transcended
To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal.
Be more dedicated to making solid achievements than in running after swift but synthetic happiness.
The minute I heard my first love story, I started looking for you, not knowing how blind that was. Lovers don’t finally meet somewhere. They’re in each other all along.
We have not invaded anyone. We have not conquered anyone. We have not grabbed their land, their culture, their history and tried to enforce our way of life on them.
