Identity: Eminent Educationist, Intellectual, Author, and Indian Educational Policy Maker

Khwaja Ghulam al-Saiyidain was born on 16 October 1904 in Panipat (Haryana, British India). He belonged to a scholarly and literary family; his father, Khwaja Ghulam al-Saqlain, was a distinguished lawyer and writer, while his mother, Mushtaq Fatima, was a deeply religious, graceful, and resilient woman. After the death of his father, his mother played the central role in his upbringing, and Saiyidain always credited her training as a major influence in shaping his personality. He was the great-grandson of the renowned Urdu poet and reformer Maulana Altaf Husain Hali. This intellectual environment instilled in him a lifelong devotion to knowledge and public service.

Khwaja Ghulam al-Saiyidain received his early education in Panipat and later earned his F.A., B.A., M.A., and LL.B. degrees from Aligarh Muslim University. Thereafter, on scholarship, he went to England and completed a Diploma in Education and a Master of Education (M.Ed.) from the University of Leeds. Upon his return, he was appointed Professor at the Training College of Aligarh Muslim University in 1936 and later became Principal of the same institution.

In recognition of his administrative abilities, he was appointed to several important educational positions in different states:

1938: Appointed Director of Education in the State of Jammu and Kashmir

1946: Served as Educational Adviser in the State of Rampur and later in Bombay (Mumbai)

1950: Appointed Joint Educational Adviser and later Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Government of India

Saiyidain’s philosophy of education represented a remarkable synthesis of John Dewey’s pragmatism and Allama Iqbal’s concept of Khudi (selfhood). He viewed education not merely as rote learning or the acquisition of degrees, but as an “art of living.” He was also a supporter of the concept of Basic Education (Nai Talim) and emphasized linking education with practical skills, self-reliance, and social service.

He opposed the Two-Nation Theory and remained a strong advocate of composite nationalism. He believed that communal harmony and national integration could best be fostered through education.

Khwaja Sahib had equal command over Urdu and English. His writings addressed not only educational issues but also human development and social crises. His notable works include:

Aandhi Mein Chiragh (for which he received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1963)

Iqbal’s Educational Philosophy

Education, Culture and the Social Order

The Evolution of Human Thought

Language, Life and Education

In recognition of his outstanding contributions to education and literature, he received numerous honors:

Padma Bhushan from the Government of India (1967)

Honorary D.Litt. from Aligarh Muslim University

Sahitya Akademi Award for Urdu Literature

Death: He passed away in New Delhi on 19 December 1971.