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| ‘Follow Moulana’s ideals for education empowerment’ | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Nov 11: Remembering Maulana Abul Kalam Azad as a great visionary, patriot, secularist, writer and above all great educationist, Advisor to the Governor, Dr. S. S. Bloeria said that the biggest tribute to this great son of soil would be converting his crusade for universal education into a collective determination and dream of freeing India from shackles of illiteracy and ignorance.
Dr. Bloeria was speaking after inaugurating Provincial level Symposium on 'Maulana Abul Kalam Azad's Crusade for Education' on National Education Day being celebrated to remember the first Education Minister of Independent India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on his birth anniversary organized by Directorate of School Education in collaboration with the Department of Higher and Technical Education.
Nearly 14 students from various Higher Secondary Schools and Colleges of Jammu province participated in the event and threw light on the life and contribution of Azad.
Vice Chancellor Jammu University Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, Commissioner Secretary Higher and Technical Education Khazhar Mohammad Wani, Director School Education Zahida Khan, Director Colleges N D Wani, Principal Government Girls College, Gandhnagar. Nalini Kohli, Principals and Heads of various educational institutions of Jammu province were present on the occasion.
Bloeria reminded the audience that when Maulana Abul Kalam Azad started his crusade for education, the educational scene in the country was grim with a population of 350 million and literacy rate was below 20 with only 20 centres of higher education. One could easily gauge the quantum of ignorance prevailing in the country, he added. He said now India's population is over a billion and literacy rate is 66 percent with 300 Universities having 90 lakh enrollments.
Calling for introspection he said, "It seems that we are walking on a treadmill hardly moving from the point from where we started our journey," adding that much needs to be done for realizing the dream of universal education through expansion in the infrastructure network at primary, middle, secondary and higher education.
Reiterating Maulana's deep belief in secularism, Dr. Bloeria said that for Azad secularism was sacrosanct and in his magnum opus "India Wins Freedom" his disillusionment due to partion of India was more than evident. Stating that Azad always stood for women emancipation through education, he pointed out that the participation of 12 girl contestants out of 14 in the symposium would have made Azad proud that India has moved forward in realizing the goal of women literacy. He recalled that even after coming from an orthodox family background three guiding influences shaped his life. Among them were Sir Sayed Ahmed from whom he acquired the importance of modern scientific education for upliftment of society particularly Muslims who were mired in orthodoxy, Sham Sunder Chakrawarty who steered Maulana to the freedom movement and his known association with Aurbindo.
Speaking on the occasion Prof Amitabh Mattoo attributed Maulana Azad's rise to the highest post of Education Minister to his great vision and broad mindedness as he was unwilling to compromise on the communal harmony of the country. Rallying the visionary steps, like the setting up a web of primary schools nation wide, University Grants Commission, Secondary School Commission, Mattoo recalled that Azad laid the edifice of modern education in India. He asked the students to emulate the simple life led by Azad who preached and practiced honesty, integrity and simplicity and died in complete penury which is also a lesson for the political figures of today.
Commissioner Secretary Higher and Technical education K.M.Wani in his welcome address said that the path showed by Maulana Azad is still relevant and the nation would rise in unison in following his ideals and achieving the goal of educated India.
Later prizes were distributed among the winning speakers. Bandey Zainulabddin of MAM College was adjudged the best speaker, Vandana Sharma of GCW Gandhinagar second and Tasbeena Sheikh of GGHSS Mubarik Mandi and Gosain Saleem of DBN HSS Jammu were jointly adjudged third. Consolation prizes were distributed to Rabia Sheikh of GDC Udhampur, Sarang of GGM Science College, Priyanka Koul of HSS Rehari, Shikha of GGM Science College and Sheresh Hashmi of GDC Doda.
Prof. J. R. Rathore former Chairman BOSE, Prof Zainullabdin Retd Registrar Jammu University, Ved Ghai Retd HOD Sanskrit Department, Prof A.N. Sadhu economists and Shameema Bano Principal Government College for Education were the judges on the occasion.
Earlier, Dr. S.S. Bloeria also inaugurated an exhibition on the life and role of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad in the field of education in India. |
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