The true tribute to Sir Syed is to carry forward his educational mission—Mehboob Saeed Haris
Sir Syed Day was organized under the auspices of the Hamid Ali Educational Trust, and former Aligarh Muslim University students were honored with the Sir Syed Award.
Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.
On the occasion of the 209th birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, a great thinker, expert in education, a promoter of the nation, founder of the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College and a flag-bearer of modern education, the Hamid Ali Educational Trust, Gorakhpur, organized 'Sir Syed Day'. On this occasion, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's unparalleled contributions to education, academic awakening, scientific awareness, and social reform
were remembered, and an effort was made to carry forward his educational mission. The program consisted of two sessions. In the first session, students from various schools shared their thoughts on Sir Syed's academic and literary contributions. In the second session, former students from Aligarh Muslim University were honored with the Sir Syed Award in recognition of their academic and social contributions.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's personality is a shining example of academic awakening, educational reform, and social progress in Indian history. He highlighted the importance of education at a time when a large segment of Indian society was alien to modern scientific knowledge and new academic perspectives. Sir Syed realized that the progress of any nation was not possible merely by taking pride in past glorious achievements; rather, it required
knowledge, research, logic, scientific thinking, and an understanding of the demands of changing times.
He considered education not merely a means to obtain employment, but the foundation of human personality development, social reform, self-confidence, and national progress. He believed that unless young people were provided with opportunities for modern knowledge, scientific thought, and higher education, it would be difficult to take society to new heights of progress.
The most important aspect of Sir Syed's educational movement was that he presented education as a collective responsibility. He drew people's attention to the fact that equipping their children, especially the young generation, with knowledge was the surest way to a better future.
A prominent milestone in Sir Syed Ahmed Khan's educational quest was the establishment of the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental School in 1875, which later became the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College. This movement, a product of his efforts and educational dreams, later became a great academic center in the form of Aligarh Muslim University.
The Aligarh Movement opened new avenues for the advancement of modern education, academic awakening, and social reform among Indian
Muslims. The aim of this movement was to create an educational environment that prioritized science, technology, literature, politics, law, and other modern disciplines, along with religious and moral education.
Sir Syed established the Scientific Society in Ghazipur in 1864. The organization's objective was to disseminate new knowledge into Indian languages through the translation of modern scientific and scholarly texts. This initiative demonstrated Sir
Syed's desire to make education accessible to the general public, rather than restricting it to a limited elite. His movement conveyed the message that knowledge knows no boundaries and that it is essential for every society to stay abreast of new research and scientific advancements. Today, as the world navigates the era of artificial intelligence, digital technology, medical science, and other innovations, Sir Syed's concern holds greater relevance than ever before.
Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's educational philosophy continues to be a guiding light for young people, students, teachers, parents, and social leaders. Education not only teaches a person how to read and write, but also empowers them to distinguish between right and wrong, raise questions, reason, and make responsible decisions.
An educated society fosters justice, brotherhood, equality, a scientific temperament, and a democratic spirit. Education makes people aware of their rights and duties and enables them to play a role in the betterment of society.
Today, there is a need to provide children with practical skills, computer science, research, digital knowledge, and employment-related skills, along with academic education. Providing better opportunities for higher education, scholarships, libraries, digital resources, and guidance, especially to children from economically weaker sections, is a crucial need of the hour.
Sir Syed's message was that educational awareness changes the destiny of nations. If young people make knowledge their strength and society considers the promotion of education its collective responsibility, new avenues for progress can open up.
In the first session of the program, a speech competition titled "Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Supporter of Modern Education" was organized. Students from various schools in Gorakhpur city participated in the competition. During the competition, the children highlighted various aspects of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's scholarly, literary, educational, and religious services.
Speakers said that Sir Syed made education a means of social awakening and progress. The importance he emphasized in his time for the acquisition of modern knowledge remains equally relevant today. Students emphasized the importance of introducing the new generation to Sir Syed's thoughts and instilling in them a passion for acquiring knowledge.
In the speech competition, Abdul Ayyan of Mian Sahib Islamia Inter College secured first place, while Afifah Rehman of JSF secured second place, and Maria Nisar of Islamic Academy secured third place. The successful students were encouraged and praised for their hard work, preparation, and oratory skills.
In the second session of the program, former students of Aligarh Muslim University were presented with the Sir Syed Awards in recognition of their contributions to furthering the educational mission of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and their outstanding educational and social service in various fields.
On this occasion, Mr. Syed Naushad Ali Sabzposh, Professor Irshad Ahmed, Engineer Shams Anwar, Dr. Munawar, and Mr. Akhlaq Ahmad were honored with the awards. The awards not only acknowledged their services but also conveyed the message of promoting knowledge, morality, service, and educational awareness in society.
The program emphasized that the responsibility of individuals graduating from educational institutions is not limited to their own personal progress; rather, they should also participate in the leadership of society through their experience, abilities, and knowledge. Former students can strengthen Sir Syed's movement by passing on their educational and professional expertise to the next generation.
On this occasion, Mehboob Saeed Haris, Secretary of the Hamid Ali Educational Trust, stated that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's educational movement was not limited to the establishment of an institution; it was a fundamental intellectual and social movement. Its fundamental objective was to equip the nation and society with modern knowledge, scientific thinking, and educational acumen. He said that the light of education that Sir Syed lit in his time is still guiding us.
The true tribute to Sir Syed lies in carrying forward his educational mission. The best way to remember him is to incorporate his thoughts into our lives, provide better educational opportunities for children, and strive to spread the light of knowledge to the underprivileged sections of society.
Mehboob Saeed Haris said that enlightening the new generation with Sir Syed's thoughts and ideas and taking practical steps to promote education is a crucial need of the hour. It is our duty to inculcate in students a love of reading books, a scientific temperament, investigative ability, and social responsibility. He emphasized that educational awareness should not be limited to lectures and conferences, but should be linked to grassroots activities that benefit needy children. In his presidential address, Professor Irshad Ahmed stated that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's political acumen was based on the belief that the foundation of political power and social awareness rested on modern science and scientific education. He believed that for a society to be strong, it was essential for its members to acquire knowledge, understand the world, and form their opinions based on logic and reason. He explained that Sir Syed established the Scientific Society in Ghazipur in 1864, with the goal of disseminating modern scientific knowledge and Western scholarly resources to the general public by translating them into Indian languages. In 1875, the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental School was established, which evolved into the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College and eventually became a major academic center in the form of Aligarh Muslim University.
According to Professor Irshad Ahmad , the primary objective of Sir Syed's educational movement was to introduce people to new academic perspectives and instill in them a sense of progress through education. Even today, his thoughts teach us that education must advance in accordance with the demands of the changing times, and that every child should have the opportunity to learn and progress.
Mr. Zameer Ahmad Payam said that if Sir Syed had not shown us the light of knowledge, who knows where we would be. He offered these couplets in Sir Syed's memory:
"The world will plead with the One in the sky,
If we are not there, the world will miss us greatly."
He stated that the fundamental objective of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan's struggle was to align Muslims with the changing demands of the times, instill educational awareness in them, and lead them on the path of progress through modern education. He added that Sir Syed made education a powerful means of social change. His thoughts still remind us that the journey of progress is incomplete without education. Making the new generation aware of his scholarly achievements and striving to make education accessible to every home is a crucial need of the hour. Renowned journalist and storyteller Abdul Baqi Khan Hasil explained that the primary purpose of organizing the program was to pay tribute to the educational services of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, as well as to inculcate a sense of knowledge, scientific awareness, and a positive attitude toward education in the new generation. He added that organizing a speech competition among students provides them with an opportunity to present their views in a better way, learn from history, and reflect on academic topics. The dedication of former Aligarh Muslim University students expressed their commitment to acknowledge his services and carry forward Sir Syed's educational tradition. He said that such programs play a vital role in highlighting the importance of education in society, introducing the new generation to learned personalities, and establishing better relationships between educational institutions.
The life of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan teaches us that education, research, practical efforts, and foresight are fundamental to the progress of any society. Despite the difficulties of his time, he continuously strived for the promotion of education and laid the foundation of a movement that had a profound impact on future generations.
The true purpose of celebrating Sir Syed Day today should be to provide books to children deprived of education, help needy students, provide equal opportunities for boys and girls to pursue higher education, and promote scientific thinking, research, and ethical upbringing in schools and colleges.
Education fulfills its true purpose only when it connects people with each other, fosters brotherhood in society, and teaches people to respect the rights of others. Sir Syed's educational mission reflects this broad vision. Every ceremony held in his memory becomes more meaningful when it inspires a renewed passion for knowledge, social responsibility, and practical service. On the occasion of Sir Syed Day, Janab Jamal, Qazi Taussul Hussain, Dr. Aziz Rizvi, Zafar Ahmed Khan, Masroor Jamal, Muhammad Anwar Zia, Muhammad Ibrahim, Ehtesham Afsar, Principal of MSI Inter College Mukhtar Ahmad, National President of Indian Journalist Association Seraj Ahmad Quraishi, Hasan Jamal alias Babua Bhai, Syed Rehan, Iqbal Ahmed and Mohammad Atif, along with students and their teachers from various schools were present.
The program, while remembering the educational services of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, also gave the message that it is our shared responsibility to spread the light of knowledge to every home, to enhance the abilities of the new generation and to strengthen the society educationally. This is the practical way to carry forward Sir Syed's educational mission and this is also the true tribute to him.
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