Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was an educationist, politician and a thought leader. His birth anniversary is observed as National Education Day in India. Wikipedia
Several leaders across India paid tribute to India’s first education minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on November 11, his birth anniversary, which is also observed as National Education Day in India.
The visionary behind the establishment of some of India’s finest educational institutes including the IITs, IISc and the School of Architecture and Planning, Azad was considered to be a frontrunner in the development of India’s education system.
From the setting up of University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council For Technical Education (AICTE) to the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Sahitya Academy, Lalit Kala Academy, Sangeet Natak Academy, and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Azad’s contribution to education cannot be disputed.
He was also one of the founding members of Jamia Millia Islamia University.
Azad was also a journalist, among other things. He started a weekly journalm called Al-Hilal in 1912, which played a crucial role in forging Hindu-Muslim unity. The government however banned the journal in 1914. Later, we went on to start another weekly called Al-Balagh, which also meant to propagate the same ideology and instil Indian nationalism. That too was banned in 1916, after which Azad was sent to Bihar by the government and released after WW1 in 1920.
Tweeting about his birth anniversary, India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi said: “Tributes to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on his Jayanti. A pathbreaking thinker and intellectual, his role in the freedom struggle is inspiring. He was passionate about the education sector and worked to further brotherhood in society.”
Vice-president, M Venkaiah Naidu also took to Twitter. “My tributes to great freedom fighter, nationalist and educationist, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on his birth anniversary. He strove to promote national unity and value-based education. He will always be remembered for his invaluable role in India's freedom struggle.”
The chief minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik also tweeted: “His invaluable contribution towards laying the foundation of a strong education system in independent India will be remembered forever.”