National Education Day 2019: Every year in India, National Education Day is celebrated on November 11 to commemorate the birth anniversary of India’s first Vice President Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. On September 11, 2008, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) announced, “the Ministry has decided to commemorate the birthday of this great son of India by recalling his contribution to the cause of education in India”. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad served as the first Minister of Education of independent India from 1947 to 1958.
Maulana Sayyid Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad was a scholar and independence activist and popularly known as Maulana Azad.
During his tenure, he was one of the senior leaders of the Indian National Congress who established a national education system. Therefore, his primary focus was on providing free primary education. In 1992, he was awarded Bharat Ratna — nation’s highest civilian honour, for his contribution as an educationist and a freedom fighter.
His contribution was remarkable in building up the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and in the foundation of the University Grants Commission (UGC) — an institution to supervise and advance higher education across the country. He firmly believed that primary education should be conveyed in the mother-tongue.
In 1949, he focused on the importance of imparting information in modern sciences.
He was a freedom fighter and started a weekly magazine in Urdu called Al-Hilal to criticize British Government.
Some of the memorable quotes by Maulana Azad-
“Educationists should build the capacities of the spirit of inquiry, creativity, entrepreneurial and moral leadership among students and become their role model”
“Climbing to the top demands strength, whether it is to the top of Mount Everest or the top of your career”
“Be more dedicated to making solid achievements than in running after swift but synthetic happiness”
“Teaching by the tongue can be perspired but by good deed can stay stronger”
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