THE MAN BEHIND THE NATIONAL EDUCATION DAY

 THE MAN BEHIND THE NATIONAL EDUCATION DAY : MAULANA ABUL KALAM AZAD

“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.” – Moulana Abul Kalam Azad.

National Education Day is celebrated on 11th November, the birth anniversary of the first education minister of Independent India Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. The day has been celebrated as National Education Day since 2008. His contribution to establish the education foundation in India is very significant. 

As India’s first education minister he noticed that India had been suffering the problem of illiteracy everywhere. Understanding the fundamental rule of education, he laid emphasise on the development of both elementary and secondary education. He especially emphasised on educating the rural poor and girls. 

As chairman of the Central Advisory Board of Education, he emphasised to adult literacy, universal primary education, free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 14, girls’ education and diversification of secondary education and vocational training.

He was the man behind the establishment of India’s first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Kharagpur in 1951, University Grant Commission (UGC) in 1953. He was also primary propagator of Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore and Faculty of Technology of Delhi University. He was the founder of Jamia Milia Islamia in Delhi. 

Moulana Sayyid Abul Kalam Gulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed Bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad (Moulana Abul Kalam Azad) was born on 11th November 1888 in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. After two years in 1890 his family back to India and settled in Calcutta (Kolkata). He was a great scholar, theologian, Urdu poet, journalist, foremost freedom fighter and active leader of India National Congress during Indian Independence Movement. He was a leader of Khilafat Movement, during which he came into close contact of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of Nation in India. Along with Mahatma Gandhi he fought for the independent India from the British Rule. He actively participated in Civil Disobedience Movement, Non-cooperation Movement, Swadeshi Movement, Quit India Movement etc., the great educationist Moulana Abul Kalam Azad was died on 22nd February 1958. In 1992 he was awarded The Bharat Ratna Award. 

He brought a revolutionary educational development in India during his education ministry tenure in 1947 to 1958. He impressed entire India with his foresight, knowledge, merit and his writings.  For his significant role in Indian education, the Government of India declared his birthday is celebrated as the National Education Day.

Maskura Begom

Guwahati. Assam

01/11/2020

Sources :-

1. m.ecomonictimes.com

2. en.m.wikipedia.org

3. Moulana Abul Kalam Azad 

by Meena Manishika