Every year the National Education Day is celebrated on November 11 to commemorate the birth anniversary of India’s first Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

As an Educationist, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad played a key role in developing the education system in independent India.

Since September 11, 2008, on the day when the Ministry of Human Resource Development decided to celebrate National Education Day to mark the birth anniversary of Maulana Azad.

Azad has been well known to promote research in learning and literature and set up the three academies to develop the fine arts.

He is also credited to kickstart the work on compilation of technical terms in Hindi on a large scale.

During his tenure as the Education Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad set up the University Grants Commission, the All India Council for Technical education, the Kharagpur Institute of Higher Education, the University Education Commission and the Secondary Education Commission.

He also played a major role for the establishment of Jamia Millia Islamia and IIT Kharagpur.

Azad had been advocating for education for women and free and compulsory primary education for children up to the age of 14.

He passed away on February 22, 1958.