Syed Ahmad Khan was one of the greatest Indians of the ninteenth cenury. In the history of india's transition from medievalism to modernism, he stands out prominently as a dynamic force pited against conservatism, superstition, interia and ignorance. He was born in Delhi on October 17, 1817, and breathed his last in Aligarh on March 27, 1898. His life is a long story of struggle against the forces that stood in the way of India's progress. He was, in fact, one of the most eminent builders of modern india. He found in education the panacea to all ills- social, political and economic- of contemporary Indian society.

He dedicated his life to the educational advancement of the Indians, particularly the Muslims who had refused to move with the times and had remained wedded to old modes of thought and behaviour. In 1863, he appealed to all people of India and exhorted them to apply all their energies to the improvement of the educational system of the country. During the same year, he established the Scientific Society for inculcating a scientific attitude of mind among the people and a few years later started a journal the Indian Institute Gazete for popularizing the aims of the Scientific Society. In 1875, Syed Ahmad Khan established the M.A.O. College at Aligarh and expressed the hope "that this college may expand into a university whose sons shall fo forth throughout the length and breadth of the land to preach the gospel of free enquiry, of large hearted toleration and of pure morality."

Twenty two years after his death, his dream was realized and the M.A.O. College developed into Aligarh Muslim University. "Sir Syed" writes Maulana Azad, "had established in Aligarh not only a college, but an ntelectual and cultural center in tune with the progressive spirit of the times. The centre of this circle was Sir Syed himself and he attracted around him some of the best intellects of the day." In fact, he laid the foundation of what may be called the Aligarh School of Urdu literature. Nearly all important Urdu writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries belong to this school. In the sphere of social reform, Syed Ahmad Khan played a very important role in extricating the people from the meshes of medievalism and superstition. He started a journal, Tahzib-ul-Akhlaq also called Mohammadan Social Reformer, with the purpose of creating an awarteness of the problems of modern life.

This journal laid the foundation of journalism in Urdu. Syed Ahmad Khan made valuable contribution in different branches of literature, religion, ethics, philosophy and history. His work on the archaelogy of Delhi, known as The Asar-us Sanadid laid the foundation of archaeological studies of Delhi. He entited a number of historical works, like the Tarikh-i Firuz Shahi of Barani, Ain-i Akbari of Abul Fazal and the Memories of Jahangir, Syed Ahmad Khan was interested in the history of religious thought and wrote a number of books on religious themes and initiated comparative religious studies. As a religious thinker, he stood for nationalism and for fresh interpretation of religion in the light of the changing conditions of society. In this field again he laid the foundation of a new school of thought (Ilm-i Kalam), which brought with it a revaluation of the traditional social ethics of the Muslim community.

By issuing a stamp in memory of Syed Ahmad Khan, the P & T Department pays homage to a great Indian, social reformer and educationist of the 19th century, whose contribution to the building of modern India was remarkable in many respects.

Source : Information Folder issued by Indian Posts & Telegraph Department, Government of India