youtu.be/8NxBTtGo6y8 Three names that epitomize infinite vision, unparalleled scholarly achievements and an inextinguishable desire to spread enlightenment universally are Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, Maulana Abul Kalam Azaad and Jawaharlal Nehru. The three luminaries of India who commanded worldwide respect through their individual, invaluable contribution to society; Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee (Tiger of Bengal 1864 to 1924), Abul Kalam Azad (The Maulana – the learned man 1888 to 1958) and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru (Chacha Nehru 1889 to 1964) - each an unwavering figure in their own sphere of illimitable contribution to society. Ashutosh Mukherjee knew that liberating society from racism and discrimination of the British rule necessitated spreading the light of knowledge from the basic rung to higher level of education. This ignited the resolve to create a modern university out of his Alma Mater, the Calcutta University and in 1906 he was appointed Vice Chancellor. He accepted Western cultural values without compromising with his dignity. He was the frontrunner in upholding the ideal of a uniquely Indian culture that was free of conservatism. Maulana Azad, was a highly accomplished scholar of Urdu literature, a trend-setting journalist. His claim to fame lay in the culmination of a thinker and a visionary. His apolitical foundation promoted education among the backward sections of society. Only a visionary like him could conceive an idea of imparting education to one and all that would make the backbone of India strong and sound. Jawaharlal Nehru, an eminent scholar attended Harrow School and later Trinity College, Cambridge, imparted modern values without discarding India’s rich heritage and legacy in the fields of culture and civilization. Nehru can undoubtedly be called the trailblazer in introducing scientific innovation and technology. He was deeply concerned about the underprivileged section of society and did all he could to uplift them. He was also instrumental in ensuring equal rights for women with respect to inheritance and property. He was the doyen of Indian education, having spearheaded the establishment of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, the Indian Institutes of Technology and National Institutes of Technology. He ensured free and primary education to all the children of India. His love for children was so profound that he is endearingly known as ‘Chacha Nehru’, and his birthday is celebrated as Children’s Day as a tribute to the great icon of India. For Chacha Nehru, the rose and children were inseparable. Nehru’s concern for the welfare of children will remain indelible for generations to come. These three eminent pillars of Indian culture and tradition believed in uplifting the spirit of mankind and taking it to a platitude that would be the mainstay so as to put India conspicuously into the global scenario. Undaunted by the ‘so-called social parameters’, they cared, they dared and they reared.
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 10:00:31 +0000