Remembering Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the visionary

Shaastra Bhat Urimajalu
November 11, 2017

On November 11 every year, India celebrates the National Education Day to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a prominent freedom fighter and first education minister of independent India, who played a crucial role in synthesizing Muslims and Hindus of the country by exposing the divide-and-rule policy of the British.

In the independent country, the focus on education was paramount for the learned understood that no true nation can develop until and unless education was considered a fundamental pillar. Speaking at All India Education on January 16, 1948, Azad had said, "We must not for a moment forget, it is a birthright of every individual to receive at least the basic education without which he cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen."

Maulana Azad was born as Abul Kalam Ghulam Muhiyuddin on November 11, 1888 in Makkah in an Indian origin family. Since a very young age, Maulana Azad was a literature enthusiast. He had mastered several languages including Urdu, Hindi, Persian, Bengali, Arabic and English. He translated the meaning of Quran to Urdu. He is considered as one of the greatest Urdu writers of the 20th century. His work was recognized through his journalistic practice, publishing works critical of the colonial British Raj and espousing the causes of Indian nationalism. He has also written many books including India Wins Freedom, Ghubar-e-Khatir, Tazkirah and Tarjumanul Quran.

Maulana Azad became the leader of the Khilafat Movement, during which he came into close contact with the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Gandhi's ideas of non-violent civil disobedience, and worked to organise the non-co-operation movement in protest of the 1919 Rowlatt Acts. In 1920, he was elected as one of the founding members to establish Jamia Millia Islamia at Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh without the help of the British. In 1923, at an age of 35, he became the youngest person to serve as the President of the Indian National Congress.

Maulana Azad was given the charge of the Education Minister for free India in 1947. At the time, India, though free, was reeling through the years of exploitation. Contrary to ordinary belief, the education system under the British India was rudimentary at best. The only schools of excellence were set up by the Indian revolutionaries who managed to bring modern education to India. At a grass root level, however, India was still suffering from widespread illeteracy.

Understanding the fundamental role education plays in the development of the nation, Maulana Azad as the Chairman of Central Advisory Board of Education, gave impetus to Adult Education and Literacy. Not only did he lay emphasis on elementary education but also propagated diversification of secondary education and vocational training.

Under his tenure as Education Minister (1947 to 1958), he founded most of the major cultural and literary academies we have today including Sangeet Natak Academy, Lalit Kala Academy, Sahitya Academy as well as the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and School of Planning and Architecture.

He was responsible for setting up of The Central Institute of Education, Delhi which later became the Department of Education of Delhi University. The setting up of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in 1951, the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 1953 are all credited to his vision. He also lay stress on and was the primary propagator of Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and Faculty of Technology of Delhi University and a founder of Jamia Millia Islamia University.

Maulana Azad always emphasised on quality education and considered schools as laboratories which produced future citizens of the country. He strongly believed in free primary education and compulsory education to all children. He was awarded with the highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna in 1992.

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News Network
July 24,2020

Shivamogga, Jul 24: The protest by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) under the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) entered its 14th day on Friday demanding personal protective equipment (PPE) kits and a salary of at least Rs 12,000 per month.

They have been protesting in different parts of Karnataka since July 10.

Staging a protest in front of the deputy commissioner's office, the ASHA workers complained of the government turning a deaf ear to their problems.

Clad in their signature pink saris, they raised slogans to demand appropriate salary for their work and the necessary equipment to protect them from the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak. 

They said that they worked tirelessly during the COVID-19-induced lockdown without any safety. The department only provided them with sub-standard equipment to combat the deadly virus. All they were asking for is a basic pay of Rs 12,000 against the current pay of Rs 6,000.

Prema, an ASHA said, "The authorities are praising our work, clapping for us and showering flowers on us but are not listening to our grievances."

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News Network
May 5,2020

Dubai, May 5: Tickets on repatriation flights from UAE to India, which start on May 7, could be costlier than regular airfare, and adding to the financial woes of those flying back. Nearly 200,000 Indians in the UAE have registered on the website seeking to return home.

“A one-way repatriation ticket to Delhi will cost approximately Dh1,400-Dh1,650 - this would earlier have cost between Dh600-Dh700 [during these months],” said Jamal Abdulnazar, CEO of Cozmo Travel. “A one-way repatriation flight ticket to Kerala would cost approximately Dh1,900-Dh2,300.”

This can be quite a burden, as a majority of those taking these flights have either lost their jobs or are sending back their families because of uncertainty on the work front. To now have to pay airfare that is nearly on par with those during peak summer months is quite a blow.

Sources said that officials in Indian diplomatic missions have already initiated calls to some expats, telling them about likely ticket fares and enquiring about their willingness to travel.

Although many believed repatriation would be government-sponsored, Indian authorities have clarified that customers would have to pay for the tickets themselves. Those who thought they were entitled to free repatriation might back out of travel plans for now.

Fact of life

But aviation and travel industry sources say higher rates cannot be escaped since social distancing norms have to be strictly enforced at all times. That would limit the number of passengers on each of these flights.

“One airline can carry only limited passengers - therefore, multiple airlines are likely to get the approval to operate repatriation flights,” said Abdulnazar. “Also, airports will have to maintain safe distance for passengers to queue up at immigration and security counters.

“Therefore, it is recommended that multiple carriers fly into multiple Indian airports for repatriation to be expedited.”

The Indian authorities, so far, have not taken the easy decision to get its private domestic airlines into the rescue act. Gulf News tried speaking to the leading players, but they declined to provide any official statements. So far, only Air India, the national airline, has been commissioned to operate the flights.

Air India finds itself in the driver's seat when it comes to operating India's repatriation flights. To date, there is no confirmation India's private airlines will be allowed to join in.

UAE carriers ready to help out

UAE’s Emirates airline, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia are likely to also operate repatriation flights to India after Air India implements the first phase of services.

“We are fully supporting governments and authorities across the flydubai network with their repatriation efforts, helping them to make arrangements for their citizens to return home,” said a flydubai spokesperson.

“We will announce repatriation flights as and when they are confirmed, recognising this is an evolving situation whilst the flight restrictions remain in place.”

An AirArabia spokesperson said the airline is ready to operate repatriation flights when the government tells them to.

Travel agencies likely to benefit

Apart from operating non-scheduled commercial flights, the Indian government is also deploying naval ships to bring expat Indians back. Sources claim the ships are to ferry passengers who cannot afford the repatriation airfares.

Even then, considering the sheer numbers who will want to get on the flights, travel agencies are likely to see a surge in bookings since airline websites alone may not cope with the demand set off in such a short span.

Learn from Gulf governments

In instances when they carried out their own repatriation flights, some GCC governments paid the ticket fares to fly in their citizens. Those citizens who did not have the ready funds could approach their diplomatic mission and aid would be given on a case-to-case basis.

Should Indians wait for normal services to resume?

Industry sources say that those Indians wanting to fly back and cannot afford the repatriation flights should wait for full services to resume once the COVID-19 pandemic settles.

But can those who lost their jobs or seen steep salary cuts stay on without adding to their costs? And is there any guarantee that when flight services resume, ticket rates would be lower than on the repatriation trips.

As such, normal travel is expected to pick up only after the repatriation exercise to several countries is completed. UAE-based travel agencies are not seeing any bookings for summer, which is traditionally the peak holiday season.

“Majority want to stay put unless full confidence is restored,” said Abdulnazar. “I expect full normalcy to be restored not until March 2021.

“People have also taken a hit to their income. Without disposable income, you will curtail your travel.”

What constitutes normalcy?

Airfares are expected to remain high, given the need to keep the middle seats empty to practise safe distance onboard.

“We expect holiday travel to resume by October or November - but, the travel sentiment will not go back to pre-COVID-19 levels anytime soon,” said Manvendra Roy, Vice-President – Commercial at holidayme, an online travel agency. “The need to keep the middle seat vacant will add 30-40 per cent pricing pressure per seat from an airline perspective.

“This will make holidays more expensive.”

As for business travel, it will take some time to recover. Corporate staff are now used to getting work done via conference calls. “Companies will also curtail their travel expenditure since their income has taken a hit,” said Abdulnazar.

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News Network
March 6,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 6: At least 13 persons, including women and children, were killed and five critically wounded when an SUV collided with a car that had crashed against a road divider moments ago near Kunigal in Tumakuru district of Karnataka in the early hours of Friday, police said.

Of the victims, while 12 died on the spot, a child breathed his last in a hospital, they added.

The injured were admitted to the hospital, the police said.

Among the dead, 10 were from Tamil Nadu and three from Bengaluru. All of them were pilgrims who were on their way to Dharmasthala in Karnataka.

There were five women and two children among the dead, the police said.

"Thirteen persons have died. The incident occurred post midnight. A car crashed against the road divider and another car collided with it," Tumakuru Superintendent of Police (SP) K Vamsi Krishna said.

The police had to struggle to pull the bodies out from the mangled vehicles.

On learning about the incident, relatives of the victims rushed to the spot.

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