On November 11, the government launched a web portal on freedom fighter and country’s first minister for Education Maulana Abul Kalam Azad commemorating his 125th birth anniversary.
The portal ‘www.maulanaazadheritage.org’, which was launched by minister for Minority Affairs K. Rahman Khan, features rare pictures, videos and information about Azad’s work as a freedom fighter, Islamic scholar and a journalist.
Planning Commission member and Azad’s biographer Sayeeda Hamid, advisor to the prime minister on Infrastructure, Public Information and Innovations, Sam Pitroda, and chairman of National Commission for Minorities, Wajahat Habibullah were also present at the event. Rajya Sabha member Najma Heptullah, grand niece of Azad, was also present.
Khan said, “Maulana (Azad’s) thoughts, his contribution and commitment to nationalism and secularism is unparalleled”.
“He was opposed to the idea of nation forming on the basis of religion.”
Pitroda said a proactive role should be taken by people who have more information such as rare photographs and his books to enrich the website and the portal could also be translated into foreign languages.
Habibullah noted that Azad was a leader of a “school of thought”. He said Azad always advised the Muslim community that instead of considering itself as the largest minority in the country, the community should look at itself as the second largest majority, which would boost its confidence.
Pitroda added more such protals were in progress on leaders like Subhash Chandra Bose, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Patel.