2013 - Maulana Abul Kalam Azad | Commemorative Coin

The 3rd commemorative coin for the year 2013 was released to mark the 125th Birth Anniversary  of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

Abul Kalam Muhiyuddin Ahmed Azad (11 November 1888 – 22 February 1958) was a distinguished scholar and a senior political leader actively involved in the Independence movement. Post-independence, he assumed the pivotal role of India's first Minister of Education. In 1992, he was posthumously conferred with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in India. Fondly remembered as Maulana Azad, the term "Maulana" is an honorific signifying a learned man, and he adopted Azad, meaning 'Free,' as his pen name. His significant contribution to laying the foundation of education in India is commemorated annually with the celebration of "National Education Day" on his birthday throughout the country.

During his youth, Azad expressed his thoughts through poetry in the Urdu language and authored treatises on religion and philosophy. Rising to prominence as a journalist, he published critical works against the British Raj and championed the causes of Indian nationalism. Azad took the lead in the Khilafat Movement, forging a close association with Mahatma Gandhi. Embracing Gandhi's philosophy of non-violent civil disobedience, Azad actively organized the non-cooperation movement in protest of the 1919 Rowlatt Acts. He wholeheartedly committed himself to Gandhi's ideals, advocating for Swadeshi products and the concept of Swaraj. In 1923, at the age of 35, he became the youngest President of the Indian National Congress.

Azad played a crucial role in organizing the Dharasana Satyagraha in 1931, emerging as a key national leader and championing the causes of Hindu-Muslim unity, secularism, and socialism. Serving as Congress president from 1940 to 1945, he led during the Quit India rebellion. Azad stood out as the most prominent Muslim opponent of the demand for a separate Muslim state of Pakistan.

In the aftermath of the partition of India and amidst communal tensions, Azad worked tirelessly for religious harmony. As India's Education Minister, he spearheaded the establishment of a national education system, introducing free primary education and modern institutions of higher learning. Azad's visionary contributions extended to the establishment of the Indian Institutes of Technology and the foundation of the University Grants Commission, a crucial institution overseeing and advancing higher education in the nation. Maulana Azad's legacy endures as a symbol of intellectual prowess, political acumen, and a tireless commitment to the educational advancement of the country.

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