1. Thread on the family lineage Nehruvian India's first Minister for Education, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad - which is also intertwined with the family lineage of Jawaharlal Nehru himself.
2. Maulana Azad's maternal great-grandfather Shiekh Qazi Sirajuddin, came to India from Herat (Afghanistan) with Abdali's invading army. Abdali appointed him Qazi of Punjab and advisor to Nuruddin, his viceregent in Abdali's 'Punjab Sultanate'.
3. He later died during at Multan in a battle with Maharaja Ranjit Singh's #Sikh army - a fact that Maulana Azad notes bitterly in his memoirs, though takes pride in his martyrdom.
He is buried outside the Lahori gate in Multan.
He is buried outside the Lahori gate in Multan.
4. Maulana Azad's maternal grandfather, Maulana Munawwaruddin, traveled to Delhi for education, was captured by Maratha forces near Karnal, then taken by the British, who eventually freed him. He taught 'Islamic Sciences' in Delhi to all nobles (ashraf caste Muslims).
5. He was eventually appointed head of all large Madrassahs in Delhi (about 50 large ones). "Minister for Education".
Maulana Sadidaldin was one of his notable students who was one of the first Principals of Madrasa-e-Alai, a school established by Warren Hasting at Calcutta.
Maulana Sadidaldin was one of his notable students who was one of the first Principals of Madrasa-e-Alai, a school established by Warren Hasting at Calcutta.
6. Munawwaruddin also rejuvenated a famous Madrassah, which was started in the days of Shah Waliullah with the name of Madrasa Azizyah.
Shah Waliullah is one of the most prominent Islamist ideologues of the Subcontinent.
Shah Waliullah is one of the most prominent Islamist ideologues of the Subcontinent.
7. At this time, grandfather of Jawaharlal Nehru, Ganga Dhar Nehru, was Kotwal of Delhi under Bahadur Shah Zafar. Thus, Maulana Azad's & Jawaharlal's grandfathers both held top positions in the court of Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar.
8/8. In reading the history of Nehruvian India, there are numerous such family connections that go right back to Mughal courts. It also becomes clear that the British kept this lineage alive and groomed them as a second rung.
