Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

About

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was an eminent Indian independence activist, Islamic theologian, writer, and a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. Born in Mecca in 1888, Azad relocated to Calcutta with his family in his youth. He quickly established himself as a prominent journalist, launching the Urdu weekly newspaper Al-Hilal in 1912, which criticized British policies and urged Hindu-Muslim unity. Azad became a key figure in the Khilafat Movement and worked closely with Mahatma Gandhi. He embraced the principles of non-violent civil disobedience and spearheaded various protests against British rule, leading to multiple imprisonments. In 1923, at the age of 35, he became the youngest person to serve as the President of the Indian National Congress, a position he held again during the critical years of World War II from 1940 to 1946. Azad staunchly opposed the partition of India on communal lines, advocating instead for a unified secular nation. Following India's independence in 1947, he was appointed as the nation's first Minister of Education. In this role, he shaped the country's educational framework, overseeing the establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology, the University Grants Commission, and several cultural academies. His birthday, November 11, is celebrated annually as National Education Day in India. Azad was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor, in 1992.

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