Origin

• The Union Government in 2008 declared 11th November as the National Education Day to honor the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of independent India.

About Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Role in Freedom Struggle 

• He was a journalist, freedom fighter, politician, and educator.
• He was a strong supporter of Hindu-Muslim unity and opposed the concept of partition.
• He founded the Urdu weekly journal Al-Hilal in 1912, and the journal Al-Balagh in 1915.
• He supported the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) and joined the Indian National Congress in 1920.
• He was arrested in 1930 for breaking the salt laws during the Salt Satyagraha and imprisoned in Meerut for a year and a half.
• He became President of the Indian National Congress in 1940 and served until 1946.
• He wrote several books, including India Wins Freedom, Ghubar-e-Khatir, The Basic Concept of the Quran, and Dars-e-Wafa.

Role in shaping the education system of India

• He advocated for an education system that was universal, liberal, and humanitarian, combining Eastern spirituality with Western social progress to produce a well-rounded individual.
• As India's first Education Minister, he played an important role in establishing institutions such as the first IIT, IISc, the School of Planning and Architecture, and the University Grants Commission. 
• He established the Indian Council for Cultural Relations to promote Indian culture abroad.
• He established:
  • • Sahitya Academy for Literature
    • Sangeet Natak Academy for Music and Dance
    • Lalit Kala Academy for the advancement of the arts

Awards

• Maulana Azad received the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor, posthumously in 1992 for his valuable contributions to the country.

Facts

• Jawaharlal Nehru referred to him as Mir-i-Karawan (the caravan leader), "a very brave and courageous gentleman, a finished product of the culture that, in these days, pertains to few". 
• Mahatma Gandhi described Azad as "a person of the caliber of Plato, Aristotle, and Pythagorus".

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statesman about the Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad:

1. He founded the weekly journal Al-Hilal to spread nationalism and promote Hindu-Muslim unity.

2. He established the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to promote Indian culture globally.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

A) 1 only

B) 2 only

C) Both 1 and 2

D) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct:

Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad founded a weekly urdu journal Al-Hilal in 1912 to spread nationalism and promote Hindu-Muslim unity. He openly criticized British policies while exploring the challenges that ordinary people face. In 1914, Azad's Al-Hilal was banned under the Press Act.

Statement 2 is correct:

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) promotes India's global cultural relations through cultural exchange with other countries and their people. It was established in 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.