Book Title: Maulana Azad: A Life
Author: S Irfan Habib
Published By: Aleph Book Company
Book Review
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, popularly known as Maulana Azad, was an influential leader of the Indian National Congress during the Indian independence struggle. He was born on November 11, 1888, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and died in Delhi, India, on February 22, 1958. He was a prolific writer, journalist, and orator noted for his strong support for Indian independence, communal peace, and secularism. He was a close friend of Mahatma Gandhi and served as president of the Indian National Congress several times.
His father, a scholar, and a religious leader, significantly impacted Maulana Azad when he was young. His early education was acquired at home, and he subsequently attended a school in Calcutta. He spoke English, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, Persian, and many other languages well.
Early on, he was active in the campaign for Indian independence, and he was crucial in setting up rallies and demonstrations against British authority. Despite being detained on multiple occasions for his actions, he persisted in his efforts to advance Indian independence. When India earned its independence in 1947, Maulana Azad was appointed the nation’s first Minister of Education. He devoted her life to increasing literacy and education among the Indian people. He also had a significant role in founding the Indian Institutes of Technology and the University Grants Commission
Azad’s initiatives for elementary and adult education, his efforts for the nation’s growth in science and culture, and his contribution to the arts and culture of a young independent country are all priceless attempts to improve the country’s inadequate educational system.
In this in-depth biography, the historian S Irfan Habib takes the reader through some of the most crucial times of Azad’s life. In “The Early Years,” we learn about Azad’s unusual upbringing, illustrious family, the Islamic world’s upheavals, and the earliest indications of Azad’s freethinking outlook on life. S Irfan Habib is a well-known scientific and current political historian.
He held the Maulana Azad Chair at New Delhi’s National University of Educational Planning and Administration. Maulana Azad’s story is one of perseverance and dedication. Despite facing numerous obstacles and setbacks, he remained committed to his principles and worked tirelessly for the cause of Indian independence and communal harmony. Reading his story with various other aspects explained can be enriching and informative.
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