National Education Day:

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Why in the news?

Every year, November 11 is celebrated as National education day, which commemorates the birth anniversary of independent India's first education minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

  • It was first celebrated In 2008, by the ministry of human 

resource development.

About:

  • Abul Kalam Azad, original name Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin.
  • He was  also known as Maulana Abul Kalam Azad or Maulana Azad.
  • Born november 11, 1888 
  • Died February 22, 1958, (New Delhi, India),
  • He was an Islamic theologian who was one of the leaders of the Indian independence movement against British rule in the first half of the 20th century.
  • Azad became an activist in journalism.
  • His autobiography: India Wins Freedom. 

His contribution in pre-Independence:

  •  In 1912 he began publishing a weekly Urdu-language newspaper in Calcutta, Al-Hilal (“The Crescent”). 
  • He was particularly active in the short-lived Khilafat movement (1920–24).
  • Azad supported the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) started by Gandhiji and entered the Indian National Congress in 1920.
  • In 1923, he was elected as the president of Indian National Congress. At an age of 35, he became the youngest person to serve as the President of the Indian National Congress.
  • He again became the president of Congress in 1940.

His contribution in post-Independence:

  • In 1947, he became the first education minister of free India and remained at this post till his death in 1958. In his tenure, he did tremendous work for the upliftment of the country.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was posthumously awarded India's highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna in 1992.

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