Zakir Husain

Zakir Husain, born on February eighth, nineteen ninety-seven, in Hyderabad, emerged as a prominent Indian educationist and politician. He completed his early education in Etawah before pursuing higher studies at the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College in Aligarh and later at the University of Berlin, where he earned a doctoral degree in economics. A close associate of Mahatma Gandhi, Husain played a pivotal role in the establishment of Jamia Millia Islamia, an independent national university founded in response to the Non-cooperation movement, serving as its vice-chancellor from nineteen twenty-six to nineteen forty-eight.

In nineteen thirty-seven, he chaired the Basic National Education Committee, which introduced a new educational policy known as Nai Talim, emphasizing free and compulsory education in the mother tongue. Husain was a staunch opponent of the separate electorates for Muslims, and in nineteen forty-six, the Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, blocked his inclusion in the Interim Government of India proposed by the Indian National Congress.

After India's independence and the subsequent Partition, Husain remained in India and was appointed Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University in nineteen forty-eight, where he worked tirelessly to maintain its status as a national institution of higher learning. His contributions to education earned him the Padma Vibhushan award in nineteen fifty-four, and he served as a nominated member of the Indian Parliament from nineteen fifty-two to nineteen fifty-seven. He was the Governor of Bihar from nineteen fifty-seven to nineteen sixty-two and was elected Vice President of India in nineteen sixty-two.

In nineteen sixty-three, he was honored with the Bharat Ratna, and in nineteen sixty-seven, he became the first Muslim to be elected as the President of India, succeeding Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Tragically, he was the first sitting president to pass away in office, holding the shortest tenure of any Indian president. His final resting place, a mazar, is located within the campus of Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi.

Beyond his political career, Husain was a prolific author and translator, contributing significantly to Urdu literature and children's books. His legacy is commemorated across India through various educational institutions, libraries, roads, and even Asia's largest rose garden, all named in his honor.