Hyderabad, November 11: Mohammed Ali Shabbir, adviser to the Telangana government, has called for the revival of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad scholarships by the Centre and urged academics and literary organisations to do more to familiarise young people with the contributions of the freedom fighter and independent India’s first Education Minister.
Speaking at the National Education Day and Minorities Welfare Day celebrations in Hyderabad on Wednesday, Shabbir recalled Maulana Azad’s commitment to the freedom movement and education. Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Advisor to the Telangana Government, recalled Maulana Azad’s sacrifices during the freedom struggle. Recounting an episode from Azad’s life, he said the leader chose imprisonment at Ahmednagar Fort over submitting a plea to the British authorities, despite his wife being unwell. He referred to Azad’s imprisonment at Ahmednagar Fort and recounted that he chose incarceration rather than submit a plea to the British authorities seeking release to be with his ailing wife.
Shabbir also highlighted Azad’s leadership in the national movement and said literary and academic institutions should prepare short, accessible booklets on his life and work, as well as those of other freedom fighters such as Ashfaqullah Khan. Shabbir Ali also referred to Azad’s leadership in the Congress and urged academics and literary organisations to prepare concise booklets on his contributions and those of other freedom fighters, including Ashfaqulla Khan. Such publications, he said, could help take their contributions beyond academic circles and make them accessible to younger generations.
Shabbir Ali praised the state government’s welfare initiatives, referring to the implementation of its six guarantees and the completion of 2.25 lakh houses under housing programmes. He also cited Aarogyasri and questioned why minorities should receive unequal treatment in access to welfare. Referring to the four per cent reservation for eligible Muslim groups in Telangana, he said around 21 lakh students had benefited from the measure over the past two decades. He called for the revival of Maulana Azad scholarships by the Union Government.
He called for the revival of Maulana Azad scholarships by the Central government, presenting educational support as an important instrument for widening access and helping students continue their studies.
The address was delivered at a programme organised jointly by the Telangana Urdu Academy and the Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society (TMREIS) at Sevalal Banjara Bhavan. The event marked the 138th birth anniversary of Maulana Azad and was held under the theme “Taleem se Taraqqi” – Growth Through Education.
The celebrations also featured the presentation of the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad National Award to development economist Prof. Amirullah Khan and the Maqdoom Award to Urdu author Qamar Jamali by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
By Syed Khaled Shahbaaz
