A tribute tothe country’s first education minister on his birth anniversary; he championed an education system that combined scientific and technological progress with religious and moral values
NEW DELHI — Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India’s first education minister, advocated an education system that combined modern scientific knowledge and technological advancement with religious and moral values. The visionary, whose birth anniversary will be celebrated across the country on Wednesday (November 11), had always emphasised the need to adapt traditional education to contemporary developments and prepare future generations for the challenges ahead.
The great statesman was born in the holy city of Makkah in Saudi Arabia on November 11, 1888, and breathed his last in New Delhi on February 22, 1958.
Azad believed that education should respond to the demands of modern science, technology and industry while retaining its ethical foundations. He argued that modern subjects and diverse fields of knowledge needed to be incorporated into the traditional education system.
In his view, religion and contemporary knowledge could not be separated if the country was to develop a successful education system. He believed that education should draw lessons from the past, address the needs of the present and prepare society for the future.
Institutions Associated with Azad
Several important educational institutions were established during Azad’s tenure as education minister. They include the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) in New Delhi.
The UGC was established to promote higher education, maintain academic standards among universities and encourage research. It was formally inaugurated by Maulana Azad on 28 December 1953. In November 1956, Parliament granted it statutory status through legislation. The commission also oversees various aspects of university functioning.
The School of Planning and Architecture was established by the Government of India in 1955, during Azad’s tenure, as the School of Town and Country Planning. It provides higher education in architecture and urban planning. In 2015, it was granted the status of an Institution of National Importance.
Maulana Azad’s Major Works
Among Azad’s best-known literary and intellectual works is Ghubar-e-Khatir, published in 1946. The book is a collection of letters written during his imprisonment at Ahmednagar Fort between 1942 and 1945. Addressed to his friend Maulana Habibur Rahman Khan Sherwani, the letters explore a wide range of subjects, including philosophy, literature, religion, music, nature and human life.
Another major work is Tarjuman-ul-Quran, first published in 1931. It is an important work of Qur’anic interpretation in which Azad presents the noble book’s message, teachings and fundamental concepts in an accessible and reasoned manner. The work is regarded as significant for understanding Qur’anic studies, Islamic thought and Azad’s intellectual approach. Modern editions comprise four volumes.
Works Published Post-Death
Several collections and writings by Azad were published or brought out in expanded editions after his death.
His autobiography, India Wins Freedom, first appeared in an abridged edition in 1959. A complete edition, incorporating the previously withheld portions, was published in 1988.
Makatib-e-Abul Kalam Azad, a collection of his letters, was compiled by Dr Abu Salman Shahjahanpuri and published by the Sindh Urdu Academy in 1968.
Ifadat-e-Azad, published in 1984, brings together Azad’s observations and sayings, while Khutbat-e-Azad, published in 1974, is a collection of his important speeches and addresses.
Maulana Azad’s educational philosophy, writings and contributions to institution-building remain significant in the history of modern Indian education.
