When it comes to remembering illustrious leaders and change-makers in India, one cannot forget the contribution of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. A noted educationist, Islamic theologian, and premier freedom fighter, Maulana Azad was a revered figure and India’s first education minister. A prominent voice in the Indian National Congress, Maulana Azad was a man of humble beginnings. Yet, he left his indelible mark on the political history of India by standing against the vitriolic two-nation theory.
This article is a short biography of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a pioneer of free speech and education, where we will tell you all about his thoughts, life, accomplishments, as well as his role in Indian political history.
Who was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad?
An accomplished, self-taught polyglot, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was the man behind some prominent educational institutes in India. He is also portrayed by theatre and cinematic personalities in series like Shyam Benegal’s Samvidhan, and movies such as Gandhi and Sardar.
Respected as a man of moral integrity and erudition, India remembers Maulana Azad by celebrating education day on his birthday, November 11 each year.
Despite his reputation as one of the rare Muslim voices against partition, few people know about his illustrious personality.
Life of Humble Beginnings
Maulana Azad was born in Mecca on November 11, 1888. Originally called Sayyid Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al Hussaini, Azad was born in a family with a scholarly background.
His father was a noted Muslim scholar of Afghan descent and his Arabic wife, herself belonged to a similar background. The family had lived in Delhi till 1857, till the Indian Revolt of Independence. After that, Azad’s parents shifted to Mecca.
Surrounded by an academic environment since childhood, young Azad was a bright learner. Homeschooled in the matters of education, such was his zeal to learn that he taught himself English without his father’s knowledge.
By the time he turned 14, Azad was writing articles for the popular magazine Makhzan. He was also running a library and a debate club.
This young achiever was proficient in Arabic, Hindi, Persian as well as Bengali. When he turned 15, Azad was teaching a class of students twice his age! By the age of 16, he had completed the conventional course of study meant for a person. Thus, Azad was a soul who shined bright wherever he went.
Writing and Journalism
Azad was a determined young man when it came to writing and education. It is not a surprise that he began his journalism career at a young age. In 1899, he had published a journal Nairang-e-Alam. Adding to his litany of achievements was being an editor at the weekly journal Al-Misbah when he was of 12 years of age.
He also worked as an editor of journals like Al Nadwa, Vakil, and Dar-ul-Saltanat. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was popular given his literary achievements.
Political Activism
Unsurprisingly, the vocal Azad jumped right into political activism. In 1908, after a trip to Turkey, France, and Syria, he polished his views on politics.
Meeting with the followers of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk Pasha shaped his outlook. As a result, he developed ideas that were considered too radical for the Muslims of his time.
Azad’s political influences included notable names like Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Aurobindo Ghosh, and Shyam Sundar Chakravarty. One would have expected Azad to be a part of the Muslim League because of his religious identity. Yet, he turned down the offer and joined the Indian National Congress.
A fiery critic of the British Raj and the Muslim League, Azad also gained enemies as much as admirers.
Azad’s Contribution to the Freedom Struggle
He also lent his voice to the Khilafat Movement, but he was arrested. After his release, Maulana Azad joined the Non-Cooperation movement under the aegis of Mahatma Gandhi. During this time, Azad, along with his compatriots, found the Jamia Milia Islamia in New Delhi. The institute is known as one of India’s best minority educational institutes.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was active in Congress even after the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement. In 1923, Azad served as the youngest Congress president. He was consistently active in the freedom struggle and organized other events like the Flag Satyagraha. He also stood against the separate electorates and was vocal about maintaining secularism in India.
Maulana Azad cultivated friendships with leaders like Chittaranjan Das and Jawaharlal Nehru in his political career. This erudite scholar also subscribed to Gandhian ideals and lived in a simple manner. Azad organized the popular Dharasana Salt Satyagraha when Gandhi led the Dandi March.
Maulana Azad was a passionate socialist and supported Nehru on many fronts. Nehru also called him ‘Mir-I-Karwaan’ because of his strong leadership skills. Azad espoused the cause of a middle path and tried to forge cooperation between Congress and the Muslim League.
A sharp critic of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Maulana Azad was vocal about preserving a unified national identity. He was concerned about the divisive logic of the Two-Nation Theory, fearing the worst.
Jinnah continuously attacked Azad, often calling him the ‘Congress’ Showboy’ and the Muslim Lord Haw-Haw.
Azad refused to stand by Jinnah’s views and expressed his wish for communal harmony. Unfortunately, the Partition of India was a blow to Azad’s dreams. Yet, after independence, he continued to espouse the cause of religious unity and scholarly achievement.
Legacy as Education Minister
After India gained its independence, Maulana Azad took over as India’s first education minister. Many people still believe that Azad was biased towards minorities in India.
However, he worked towards the overall development of the educational scenario in India. He established the following institutes-
- The University Grants Commission
- IIT Kharagpur
- The Secondary Education Commission
- All India Council for Technical Education
- Indian Council for Cultural Relations
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was a man of culture and refinement. He also worked towards including technical terms in Hindi. Thus, he was conferred the Bharat Ratna for his contribution to national development. Aside from that, this free thinker’s legacy continued to live on in many institutes named after him-
- Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi
- Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad, Telanagana
- The Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
- The Maulana Azad Stadium in Jammu
Lessons from Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Like his pen name, Maulana Azad endorsed free thinking that was informed and critical of the surrounding vices. He never let his communal identity impede his passion for serving humanity and the cause of equal education for all.
He has been the subject of several TV shows and cinematic portrayals, given his illustrious life. Make sure you check out this TV series made on his life-
Commemorating his birthday as National Education Day, we must pledge to dismantle communal hatred. One can even dwell upon the contributions of this luminary by reading his works like India Wins Freedom and Ghubar-E- Khatir.
If one has to honour his memory, we as citizens should urge our government to extend educational access to every citizen. Since Maulana Azad himself said-
“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.”
Therefore, to help each section of the society have an equal voice in our democracy, it is important that we uphold Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s lesson of unity, peace, and constant learning.
Final Thoughts
Because Maulana Azad’s beliefs were centred around a fair and democratic society, his ideas continued to be central to India’s political goals.
Many leaders like Azad were central in shaping India’s destiny as an independent nation throughout time. Thus, to learn more about Indian culture and the achievements of its Prime Ministers, make sure you check out our articles on the same.
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