Agha Ashraf Ali

Early life and Education

Agha Ashraf Ali was born on 18 October 1924 into the highly educated Agha family of Srinagar, Kashmir. His mother Begum Zafar Ali, herself an educationist and legislator, was the first female matriculate of Kashmir. Ashraf's elder brothers Agha Nasir Ali and Agha Shaukat Ali were both civil servants serving in India and Pakistan respectively. He grew up in an upperclass feudal household with a rich legacy of excellence and where education was a top priority. His maternal grandfather, Khan Bahadur Aga Syed Hussain, was the first matriculate of Kashmir and held a Ministerial berth in the Maharaja's Cabinet. Agha was educated at the Mission School at Fateh Kadal, Srinagar (later the Biscoe school). After his schooling he went to Sri Pratap College where he did his graduation and passed with distinction. A lecture by Dr Zakir Hussain (later President of India) at S.P College became a turning point in Agha's life. Agha quotes Zakir Husain and still remembers the words, “Young friends, youth is not an attainment, it is an opportunity. Don’t let this opportunity go by”. From then there was no looking back. Dr Zakir Hussain later became his teacher and was instrumental in moulding his personality. After completing his graduation, Agha studied History at Aligarh Muslim University. He was enrolled in M.A History. Agha stood first in History MA and received the Morrison Medal in 1945. Later he went to Delhi and joined Jamia Millia Islamia University where he started teaching. He had close association with India’s noted intellectuals prominent among them being Zakir Husain, Prof. Mujeeb, Prof. Habib, Prof Abid Husain and others. Through them Agha had the opportunity to meet Mahatma Gandhi and Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. These people had a great impact on Agha’s life and are a source of inspiration for him. During this time Agha married Sufia Nomani from Lucknow. After the Partition of India, he decided to go back to Kashmir but he was advised by Sheikh Abdullah that the state had no funds for any post and that Agha must go to England for further studies. Agha went to England and specialized in academic diploma in comparative education and educational organization and administration. Agha was influenced by the philosophy of Martin Buber and greatly inspired by the socialist ideas. For the last three months in 1951, he visited schools in France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark in order to understand the system of education there and the way of teaching. He came back to Kashmir in 1951.

Career

On his return from England Agha was appointed as Officer on Special Duty under Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah. One year latter Agha was made the Inspector of Schools. Thus began his administrative career which was fearless, Agha would never compromise on his principles and would always defy authority. After the arrest of Abdullah, Agha was the officiating principal to the Teachers College of Education. Later he was taken as Principal of the National Extension Training Centre, where there were two hundred village level workers. Agha used the best of his skills and ability to train them into socialists and modern Kashmiris. When Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq became the Education Minister, Agha was asked to join back as Inspector of Schools however Agha expressed the wish to continue as the Principal of Teachers College with an aim to produce efficient teachers. Agha remained as Principal of the Teachers College for five years from 1955-1960. In 1960 he received a Fullbright Scholarship. Agha moved to the United States of America with his family to complete his education. He was enrolled at the Ball State Teachers College, in Muncie, Indiana, where he did his PhD in Comparative education. After his return from the US, he was appointed as Officer on Special duty for a brief period. The University of Kashmir created the Post Graduate Department of Education and Agha was selected as its Professor. He was the first Kashmiri Professor since there were only lecturers and '[[Reader (academic rank)|Readers]'] in the University at that time. Agha would promote the best students and would send them to England and America to study new mathematics, and new ways of teaching mathematics. When they came back, they were paid handsomely, each by Biscoe school, convent and Burn Hall School. He headed the Department of Education for many years and in that capacity served as the acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir. He was also the Chairman of Board of School Education, where he introduced compulsory mathematics and science in schools for all girls. From 1971-75 he was a member of Baghwan Sahai committee report. He was made Director of Training and Curricula from 1973 -1975, in which all training was under his guidance. Agha retired as Commissioner of Higher Education, Jammu & Kashmir.

Later career

After his retirement Agha continued to enlighten the people of Kashmir and outside through his lectures in universities, colleges and schools. He would also give lectures to students at his residence. He continues to be an inspiration for many people. He is a noted orator and public speaker known for his lectures on various issues. As an academician Agha has an opinion on every contemporary social and political issue. He is an independent thinker, a visionary in political thought, and has an acute-insight and enthusiasm for national and international affairs that is par excellence. On the eve of Teachers' Day, on 5 September 2006 Agha was awarded 'Nigeena-e-Watan' for his "unmatched contribution in the field of education". In 2011 Agha released his autobiography, "Kuch to Likhyay ki log kehtay hain", in Urdu.