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M. A. Baig: A Muslim Visionary Educator and Social Reformer


Mirza Azizullah Baig Saheb (1916-1995) was a humble person who rose to become a visionary educator and dedicated social reformer(1) in 20th century India. He was the founder of the first Urdu-English school in Wardha, Maharashtra State, India, in 1940. Baig Saheb, as he was known, was considered by students to be a cool, rationale and exemplary man, not only for Muslims but for Hindus and others.

Family History
M.A. Baig Saheb was born (1) in 1916 in the city of Aurangabad in the state of Maharashtra in central India. His father, Mirza Nabi Baig, Jagirdar of Daryapur, Maharshtra State, was a very enlightened person. When Baigh Saheb was only 11 months old, his mother Taha Begum died. He grew up in Berar (north-eastern Maharashtra) and in Delhi, northern India. In March of 1947 Baig Saheb married Ms. Zahida Khatoon, daughter of Khawaja Lateef Ahmed. She was an educator, as well. They had one daughter, Ms. Saleha Farheen.

Education
Baig Saheb had his primary school education at Akot district Akola, and his high school up to Xth class at Mohammadan Urdu High School, Amraoti (now Anjuman Urdu High School). His father had a chance to meet a delegate from Jamia Millia and on their suggestion he moved to Jamia Millia, New Delhi. He finished his high school education there and passed the examination in 1931. Baig Saheb continued his education at Jamia and got a B.A. degree in 1935. In the post-independence era, he joined Muslim Aligarh University, Aligarh, Utter Pradesh, India (1955-1957) and obtained M.A. and law (LL.B.) degrees. Baig Saheb was one of the most dedicated and nationalist thinking students of Dr. Zakir Hussain, principal of Jamia Millia, the national university in Delhi. Later, his teacher became the third President of India.

Contributions: Pre-independence Period (1947 and before)
Baig Saheb was deeply influenced by Mahatama Gandhi, the leader of India’s independence movement and social reform effort. In 1937, Baig Saheb was assigned by Dr. Zakir Hussain to proceed to Wardha to head the Urdu section of Nav Bharat Vidayalay. During this time, he met Gandhiji at the ashram, Sevagram, near Wardha. He ran the department with success and was admired by Muslim and Hindu communities, alike. However, the department was closed due to a change in policy of the “Shiksha Mandal,” or the teaching committee of the school. When Mahatama Gandhi learned this, he was not pleased (2). With the encouragement of his teacher, Dr. Zakir Hussain, and the support of Ghandhiji and Anjuman Islamia, the local Muslim organization of Wardha, Baig Saheb founded the first Urdu-English school in Wardha in July of 1940. He was a very dedicated and selfless educator and social reformer, therefore he was able to accomplish this task with the cooperation of many local leaders. The institution was named the Anglo-Urdu Anjuman Middle School.

Dr. Zafar Nomani, had the privilege of being his student during the period before and after the independence of India, 1943-1947. He remembers very well Baig Saheb’s words(3), which echoes in his ears: “The British education system is mainly to produce ‘Baboos’ clerks to run the offices. Today, the students should learn crafts and skills, along with arts and science subjects, and the goal should be to serve the community and the nation.” He had a salary of just about three rupees per month to be on the official teaching staff. Whether he was taking those three rupees for himself is also doubtful. Baig Saheb was principal of the school until 1948, and gave charge to Wahid Ali Saheb, his colleague from the start of the school.

During summer holidays, he did not relax, but worked as a volunteer at Gandhiji’s ashram at Sevagram. Baig Saheb was an active participant in India’s independence movement. He was sent to jail by the British Government for his fight for independence and was involved in the Quit India Movement. During the 1930s and 1940s, Baig Saheb assisted Dr. Zakir Hussain on the development of a basic education curriculum for post-independent India called “Nai Talim,” or “New Education,” and “Ibtadaai Talim,” or "the Basic Education Curricula,” and other education related projects and schemes.

Some of Baig Saheb's students:

Mr. Ashique Hussain, Secretary, Muslim Education Society, Wardha.

Mrs. Noorjahan Shamim, Chairperson, Zubaida and Mumtaz Ahmad Nomani Education Trust, Hinganghat, District Wardha; present residence Mumbai.

Mr. Azhar Nomani, B.E. (Osmania University, Hyderabad , India), Retired Chief Engineer, Water and Power Authority (WAPDA), Pakistan.

Mohatrim Haji Ismail Saheb, Social Reformer, Wardha.

Dr. Mazhar Jaleel, M.B. B.S., Bhopal. India.

Dr. Zafar Nomani, Ph. D. (Rutgers University, U.S.A.), Assistant Professor at Osmania University/ Agricultural University, A.P. (1958-1967) and now Professor Emeritus at West Virginia University, U.S.A., recipient of the King Hassan II (Morocco) International Award for research findings on Ramadan fasting and Health

Dr. Zia-ul Hameed Ansari, M.B., B.S., F.R.C.PS. (London), Banglore, Karnataka State.

Mr. Riyaz Ansari, B.E. (Nagpur University), Water Works Engineer, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A.

Mrs. Sultana Nomani, B.Sc. (Osmania University), B. ed. Hyderabad

Mr. M. Ahmed Firdosi, Principal, Maulana Azad High School and Junior College, recipient of the “Best Teacher Award, 1985” Maharashtra State.

Contributions: Post-independence Period
After leaving his teaching and administrative position at the Urdu School (1948), he served at Khadi Bhandar of Khadi Board, Magan Wadi, Wardha, for six months in 1949. The Khadi Board is associated with the Gandhiji’s famous movement to boycott foreign manufactured cloths and go for locally made hand spun cloths. Afterward, he worked at “Taaleeimi Sangh,” the education group at Sevagram, from 1949 to 1954.

The period from 1955 to 1957 was spent in studies leading to M.A. and law degrees at Muslim Aligarh University, Aligarh, India. In 1958, he became a lawyer after the untimely death of his close friend, Mohatarim Abdul Hameed Ansari, who was a lawyer. Baig Saheb proved as leading lawyer at Wardha, as well. His contributions in this field are described later.

Baig Saheb was not only an outstanding teacher, but also a great motivator. He preached tolerance, wisdom, reasoning, and a rational attitude towards life. He encouraged his students and the residents of Wardha to believe in the values of serving their families, the community, and humanity.

Baig Saheb had close associations with important figures such as, Gandhiji, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the education minister in the first cabinet of Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru; Sri Jamman Lal Bajaj , a close associate of Gandhiji; Sri Satayanarayan Bajaj, a freedom fighter; Zakir Hussain, and many other national leaders. If he wanted, he would have got a very high position in the government after India’s independence in 1947. However, he did not do this.

In fact, during difficult times, before and after the independence of India, when his school was in financial trouble and in danger of survival, he sold his ancestral land and property to support the school. He did not own a house, but rather lived in a humble rented home. He worked selflessly, and never asked for any personal favors. He provided advice and leadership to the school’s faculty members and staff, the Muslim community and people of Wardha until his death in 1995. After he started his law practice he did not get away from the school’s responsibilities. He served as president of the Muslim Education Society and Anjuman Muslameen of Wardha, and provided guidance to the school and the community, including Muslims and non-Muslims.

It is an irony that the illustrious disciple of Dr. Zakir Hussain, a most honest educator, social reformer, patriot and a staunch nationalist, was arrested and put in jail twice even in post-independance era. First, Baig Saheb was put in the jail during the so-called "Police Action" of the Government of India on Nizam State of Hyderabad, 1948. Why? Because, Baig Saheb happened to be the native of Berar region of Maharashtra, which more than 100 years earlier was a part of the Nizam State. People close to him told (1), that he was very much saddened with this incident, and took some time for recovery. The next time, he was behind bars with hard core criminals during the emergency period imposed by the Central Government in 1976. This fact was brought by various speakers at his 70th birthday civic rception held in his honor in 1986 in Wardha. The president of the function was Ho’ble Justice M.M. Qazi, Nagpur High Court. Many enlightened people of Wardha and the nation made presentations or wrote in English, Urdu, Hindi and Mararthi languages (1), about his life and contributions to the society. Remarks of a couple of distinguished guests are given in brief, which reflect his personality:

From Sri G.M. Despande (4), Advocate; President, District Bar Association, Wardha: “ 'Virtus Incarnate.' Besides profession, as you all know, he is a man of whole society, irrespective of religion, caste, creed or faith. He was never dogmatic in any of his personal views, either relating to religion, politics or social aspects. He is available to extend his helping hand to any person in difficulty… He is always found to be courageous and would not bow down before anybody or anything against his conscience. In 1976 when Emergency was clamped over the entire nation by then Central Government therein detaining and prisoning lakhs of innocent Indians in Jail. He is my colleague in legal profession. I could not resist my joy and feelings towards him, when he gave me the occasion to welcome and embrace him as an under-trial prisoner in Central Jail at Nagpur in November, 1976. I was a Class I detainee, while Sri Baig entered the Jail as an Under-trial Prisoner and consequently required to be accommodated in a barrack full of under-trial criminals and vicious culprits. It is no joke to remain day and night with all criminal and the atmosphere surrounding in barrack with no amenities of sophisticated life. He had to remain without tea, eat Jwar bread (flat bread made of sorghum grain) for lunch and meals and to have a small carpet and a blanket for sleep in the deadly cold of November and December… Besides, as true Muslim he believes in ‘Servea Dharma Sama Bav’, i.e. all religions are equal and require to be respected…”

From Jamshed E. Sanjana (5), District and Session Judge, Yavatmal: "In him I found a personality full of the milk of human kindness, as Shakespeare would put it. A doyen at the Bar having had the vast and rich experience of the multi-faces of life, deep study of religion and literature, a sound and astute lawyer having had the vivid experience in the political firmament, Mr. Baig is one of the most elite, not only at the bar at Wardha but also amongst the citizenry there…He has been a good guide to the younger generation at the Bar, as well as the members of the Judiciary.  Special mention must be made of his love for ‘Shairyi’ (Urdu and Persian poetry) of which he is a reputed composer even today.  This speaks of his versatility, a serious thinker as well as one who posses wit and humor, appreciates the lighter side of life.”

Continuation of the Work
In memory of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the mentor of Baig Saheb, the school’s name was changed to Maulana Azad High School, in 1958. The spirit of the respected teacher, Guru and Ustad – Mirza Azizullah Baig - is still maintained at the school. The mission of the institution is: Enhancement of the educational, social, and economic awakening and uplifting of the status of the individuals and their families. Further, along with the learning and enhancement of knowledge, the objective of the institution is helping the students to develop investigative and critical thinking skills, and mentally and physically preparing them to face the challenges of the world with patience and courage. Since the start of the school in 1940, the institution has progressed from a middle school to junior college. It is co-educational and the majority of the students are girls. The school and the college, located at Station Road, Wardha, are recognized by the Maharashtra Government State Board of Education. The junior college offers a science option. The subjects taught are: Urdu, Hindi, English, Science, History, Geography, Mathematics, and others. The student enrolment went up from 50 to more than 500. The school record indicates student’s high academic achievements and the rate of passing the State’s Board Examination as 95 percent and above.

Today, though Baig Saheb is not physically with the teachers and staff of the institution, including, present principal  Dr.Ishrat Ullah Khan [M.Sc(Maths),M.Ed,Ph.D, PGDSM,B.A(Eng),LL.B], he is spiritually with them. Baig Saheb is not only a model educator and social reforemer for the people of Wardha, but also for the rest of India and other nations, as well.

Links
Links of Dr. Zafar Nomani with permission.