Sir Syed Ahmed Khan was born on October 17, 1817, in Delhi. He belonged to a noble Mughal family and received traditional Islamic education. Later, he studied science, mathematics, and English, which shaped his reformist mindset. His early career as a civil servant exposed him to British governance and inspired his efforts to modernize Muslim society.
Sir Syed was a pioneer of modern education among Indian Muslims. He founded the Scientific Society of Aligarh in 1864 to translate Western literature into Urdu. In 1875, he established the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which later became Aligarh Muslim University. His goal was to blend Islamic values with modern scientific learning.
After the 1857 revolt, Sir Syed wrote Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind (Causes of the Indian Revolt), analyzing the uprising and criticizing British policies. He also published Loyal Muhammadans of India to highlight Muslim loyalty and counter British mistrust. These works positioned him as a mediator between the British and Indian Muslims.
In the 1860s, the demand to replace Urdu with Hindi in official use sparked the Hindi-Urdu controversy. Sir Syed defended Urdu as the cultural language of Muslims. This event deepened communal divisions and led him to propose that Hindus and Muslims were distinct nations, laying the intellectual foundation for the Two-Nation Theory.
The Aligarh Movement, led by Sir Syed, aimed to uplift Muslims through education and social reform. The Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College became a center for modern learning and Muslim identity. The movement inspired generations of leaders and played a key role in shaping Muslim political consciousness in British India.