Maulana Azad’s Legacy: From Child Prodigy to Father of Indian Education

Every year on 11 November, India celebrates National Education Day, honoring the memory of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad – a freedom fighter, first education minister and Bharat Ratna awardee. Born in Mecca in 1888, Azad moved to Kolkata where, at the tender age of twelve, he operated a library, a reading room and a debate society. By fourteen he had already founded the literary journal “Al‑Misbah,” editing works of scholars twice his age.

His early adoption of the name “Azad,” meaning unrestricted, signalled a break from his family’s traditionalism. He wielded the press as his most potent weapon against British rule, publishing “Al‑Hilal” and “Al‑Balag,” both of which were eventually censored.

When independence arrived in 1947, the country was scarred by partition, poverty and an alarmingly low literacy rate of 12 %. Azad, appointed Education Minister, spent the next eleven years crafting policies that remain relevant. He advocated free, compulsory schooling up to age fourteen for all children and stressed adult literacy, especially for women, as vital for nation‑building.

Recognising the need for technical expertise, Azad fortified the All India Council for Technical Education and saw the inauguration of IIT Kharagpur in 1951. He also founded the University Grants Commission in 1953 to standardise higher education.

Beyond science and technology, Azad nurtured India’s cultural fabric. He launched the Sahitya Akademi, Lalit Kala Akademi and Sangeet Natak Akademi to protect and promote literature, visual arts and performing arts. His role was instrumental in the expansion of institutions like the Indian Institute of Science and Delhi University.

In 2008, the government declared 11 November as National Education Day, making it a day of reflection on Azad’s vision: an education system that not only imparts knowledge but also builds character, encourages scientific reasoning and cultivates responsible citizenship.