India celebrates November 11 as National Education Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education Minister of the country.
On National Education Day, India remembers the contributions of Maulana Azad towards nation-building. A freedom fighter, scholar and educationist, Maulana Azad was a key architect of Independent India. He was responsible for setting up top education bodies like the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and the University Grants Commission (UGC).
The first Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Kharagpur, was established by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
Apart from IIT Kharagpur, UGC, and AICTE, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was also responsible for setting up Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Sahitya Academy, Lalit Kala Academy, Sangeet Natak Academy and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),
He was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 1992.
The Central government in September, 2008 announced November 11 as the National Education Day. The first National Education Day celebrations were inaugurated by then President Pratibha Patil on November 11, 2008 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
National Education Day 2021 Wishes
On National Education Day 2021, Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan paid their tributes to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.