Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi, and several other prominent political leaders on Wednesday, 11 November 2026, paid floral tributes to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on his birth anniversary at the Central Hall of Samvidhan Sadan, New Delhi. The event marked the 138th birth anniversary of India's first Education Minister and Bharat Ratna recipient.

What Leaders Said

Remembering Azad as a towering figure in India's independence movement, Birla described him as a 'distinguished educationist, scholar and a key figure in the country's freedom movement.' In a post on social media, the Speaker said: 'Heartfelt tributes on the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a valiant warrior of the freedom struggle, a great educationist and independent India's first Education Minister.'

Birla added: 'Today, floral tributes were offered in the Central Hall of the Constitution House to commemorate his unparalleled contribution to nation-building, education and social harmony. His ideas and ideals will forever continue to light the nation's path.'

Who Was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Born on 11 November 1888 in Mecca, Azad came from a family of distinguished Islamic scholars. His father, Maulana Khairuddin, was a Bengali Muslim of Afghan origin, while his mother was Arab. His forefathers had migrated from Herat in present-day Afghanistan during the Mughal period. Azad was proficient in multiple languages — Arabic, English, Urdu, Hindi, Persian, and Bengali — and earned wide recognition as a scholar, poet, and journalist long before Independence.

Following Independence, Azad served as India's first Education Minister in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's Cabinet from 1947 until his death in 1958. He was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1992, nearly three decades after he died of a stroke on 22 February 1958.

Azad's Lasting Impact on Indian Education

Azad's educational philosophy centred on universal and compulsory basic education, arguing that access to elementary schooling was the birthright of every citizen and that financial constraints must not limit the reach of primary education. His vision extended to adult education, secondary and higher learning, technical and scientific training, and the promotion of arts and culture.

Among his most enduring institutional contributions was the establishment of the first Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Kharagpur in 1951. He also played a central role in setting up the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 1953, which became a statutory body in 1956 to coordinate university education and maintain academic standards. Additionally, Azad supported the expansion of the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru and helped establish the Central Institute of Education at Delhi University to strengthen teacher training and educational research.

Cross-Party Acknowledgement

The gathering at Samvidhan Sadan was notable for its cross-party representation, with leaders from both the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Indian National Congress joining the ceremony. This comes amid an era when Azad's legacy — particularly his advocacy for Hindu-Muslim unity during the freedom movement — holds continued resonance in national discourse. Notably, the anniversary also coincides with National Education Day, observed annually on 11 November in his honour.

As India's institutions mark another year of his birth, Azad's foundational role in building the country's scientific and academic infrastructure remains a benchmark against which contemporary education policy is frequently measured.