Categories: Miscellaneous

First Education Minister of India, Know the Name

Following India’s independence, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad assumed the role of first education minister of India. His birthday, the 11th November, is commemorated as “National Education Day” in his honor. Maulana Azad was a multifaceted individual, being a staunch advocate for education, a prominent freedom fighter, a seasoned politician and an accomplished journalist.

Personal details of 1st Education Minister

Name: Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin Ahmed Bin Khairuddin Al-Hussaini Azad (Maulana Azad).

Birth Date: 11th November 1888

Birth Place: Mecca, Hejaz (Saudi Arabia)

Death: 22nd February 1958 at Delhi, India

Early Life

Azad began his journey as a Journalist. In 1905, he participated in revolutionary activities, to which he was introduced by the prominent Hindu revolutionary Aurobindo Ghosh and Shyam Sundar Chakravarty. In 1908, he travelled to Turkey, Syria, France and Egypt where he met several revolutionaries and became a fierce critic of both the British Government and Muslim politicians.

Indian National Congress

In 1920, Maulana Azad joined the Indian National Congress and supported the Non-Cooperation Movement. He was chosen to serve the All India Khilafat Committee’s president as well. Shortly after that, he became the youngest president of the Indian National Congress in the year 1923. Azad presided over the Delhi University Conference in 1924 and used his authority to push for the union of the Khilafat and Swarajist leaders under the Congress’s unified flag.

As 1st Education Minister of India

As the first education minister of India from 1947 to 1958, Maulana Azad brought the following reforms:

  • Free and compulsory primary education for all children up to the age of 14 as he believed everyone deserved the basic right to Education.
  • Maulana Azad created the Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi in 1935 and helped found the IITs, IISc and the School of Planning and Architecture.
  • He also contributed to the emergence of additional educational institutions and was a crucial figure in the creation of India’s higher education regulator, the University Grants Commission.

Books written by Maulana Azad

The books written by Maulana Azad are as given below:

  • India Wins Freedom
  • Tazkirah
  • Ghubar-e-Khatir
  • Tarjuman Al-Quran

Awards received

Maulana Azad has been honoured with Bharat Ratna in 1992.

Colleges named after Maulana Azad

There have been many institutions across India that have been named after Maulana Azad in his honor. Some of them are listed below:

  • Jamia Millia Islamia
  • Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi
  • Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology in Bhopal
  • Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad
  • Maulana Azad Kalam Azad College of Pharmacy, Raipur
  • Maulana Azad Kalam Azad University of Technology in Kolkata
  • The Maulana Azad Centre for Elementary and Social Education (MACESE Delhi University).
  • The Maulana Azad Library
  • Maulana Azad College of Arts- Science & Commerce
  • Maulana Azad Institute of Professional Studies, Ujjain

Former Educational Minister List from 1947 to 2023

S. No. Name Period
1. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad 1947- 1958
2. Dr. K.L. Shrimali 1958- 1963
3. Shri Humaun Kabir September 1963- November 1963
4. Shri M.C. Chagla 1963- 1966
5. Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed November 1966- March 1967
6. Dr. Triguna Sen 1967- 1969
7. Dr. V.K.R.V. Rao 1969- 1971
8. Shri Siddhartha Shankar Ray 1971- 1972
9. Prof. S. Nurul Hassan 1972- 1977

10.

 Prof. Pratap Chandra Chunder 1977- 1979
11. Dr. Karan Singh 1979- 1980
12. Shri B. Shankaranand January 1980- October 1980
13. Shri S.B. Chavan 1980- 1981
14. Smt. Sheila Kaul 1981- 1984
15. Shri K.C Pant 1984- 1985
16. Shri P.V. Narasimha  Rao 1985- 1988
17. Shri P. Shiv Shankar 1988- 1989
18. Shri V.P. Singh 1989- 1990
19. Shri Rajmangal Pandey 1990- 1991
20. Shri Arjun Singh 1991- 1994
21. Shri P.V. Narsimha Rao 1994- 1995
22. Shri Madhavrao Scindia 1995- 1996
23. Shri P.V. Narsimha Rao January 1996- May 1996
24. Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee May 1996- June 1996
25. Shri S.R. Bommai 1996- 1998
26. Dr. Murali Manohar Joshi 1998- 2004
27. Shri Arjun Singh 2004- 2009
28. Shri Kapil Sibal 2009- 2012
29. Sr. M.M. Pallam Raju 2012- 2014
30. Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani 2014- 2016
31. Shri Prakash Javadekar 2016- 2019
32. Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ 2019- 2021
33. Dharmendra Pradhan 2021- present

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FAQs

Who was the first education minister of India?

The first Education Minister of India after Independence was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. His birthday that is 11th November is celebrated as ‘National Education Day.’ He was also an advocate for education, a freedom fighter, a politician and a journalist.

When was Maulana Azad born?

Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad was born on the 11th November 1888 in Mecca, Hejaz (Saudi Arabia).

Akansha Arora

My role as a content writer specializing in current affairs at Adda247 involves meticulously researching and crafting compelling articles aimed at guiding and informing candidates preparing for National and State Level Competitive Government Exams. With a dedication to educational excellence, I strive to keep our candidates abreast of the latest developments and trends in current affairs. By providing insightful and engaging content, I aim to ensure that aspiring candidates are well-prepared and informed for their examinations.

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1 year ago

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