MANUU Pays Glowing Tributes To Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Hyderabad: Maulana Abul Kalam Azad fought tirelessly for the country's unity and opposed partition until his dying breath. Unfortunately, some of the stalwarts he relied upon to avert this tragedy changed their minds at the last moment, claimed Prof. Faizan Mustafa, Vice-Chancellor, Nalsar University and Eminent Legal Expert. He was delivering the "Azad Memorial Lecture" today on National Education Day at Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU). Maulana Azad was cognizant of the problems that minorities would face on both sides after partition, he said.

Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan, Vice-Chancellor, MANUU, presided over the lecture.

The guests of honour were Dr A. Nagender Reddy, Director, Salarjung Museum, Hyderabad, and Dr S. Chinnam Reddy, Director, National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (NITHM), Hyderabad.

MANUU organised nine-day long celebrations and paid tribute to the first education minister of independent India. His birth anniversary is celebrated as National Education Day across India today.

Prof. Faizan Mustafa, while speaking on the topic "Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Constitutional Management of Religious and Cultural Diversity", highlighted the supreme court’s interpretation of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad’s advocacy for a federal structure of independent India. The Constitution of India safeguards the concern expressed by Maulana Azad concerning minorities.

While paying glowing tribute to Maulana Azad, Prof. Faizan reminded us that even after the partition of the country, Maulana was against the partition of culture. He suggested that we need to reject the politics of division. Prof. Faizan described Maulana as a "trump card" for Congress, but he was not used properly.

Prof. Faizan described students as the main stakeholders of any institution and said the main function of a university is to create knowledge.

In his presidential remarks, Prof. Syed Ainul Hasan described Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as a great personality who had to nurture a pain that intensified as time passed. Maulana was a truly multifaceted personality. He did extraordinary work by translating the Qur'an even though he did not have formal education. Appreciating his courage, Prof. Ainul Hasan said when Britishers closed his journal, ‘Al-Hilal’ he started publishing ‘Al-Balagh’ which means communication and kept on inspiring people for the freedom struggle. He went ahead with it, went to jail, remained under restrictions but did not give up, he added.

Dr A. Nagender Reddy briefed the students about the activities of the museum and invited them to visit and avail the facilities available in its library.

Dr S. Chinnam Reddy advised the youth to learn languages very well along with whatever courses they pursue and talked about electricity, water conservation, and various natural resources.

Prof. SM Rahmatullah, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, while thanking NITHM and Salarjung museum officials for their invitation and suggestions, appreciated the memorial lecture of Prof. Faizan Mustafa and said the country will develop if it has integrity along with heterogeneity. Maulana was not an educator, but an educational thinker who designed the education system. He established premier educational institutions like Sahatiya Academy, Lalit Kala Academy, and UGC, etc. Moreover, various aspects of National Education Policy 2020 reflect Maulana Azad's views on education, Prof. Rahmatullah said.

Earlier, Prof. Siddiqui Mohd Mahmood, Registrar I/C, welcomed the guests. Highlighting the importance of National Education Day, he said that MANUU, which is named after Maulana Azad, is the right place to celebrate Education Day on a grand scale.

Mr Meraj Ahmad, a Cultural Coordinator, announced the names of the winners of various competitions held during the Azad Day Celebrations.

Dr Ahmad Khan, convenor of, Core Committee, convened the programme and also presented a report of the nine-day long celebrations.