Saturday, March 5, 2011

What has Science Popularization Got to do With Aligarh Movement?

Corner stone of Aligarh Movement is to impart modern education to Muslims. (We doubt that it is limited to Indian Muslims. It should also be clarified that non-Muslims are not excluded from Aligarh Movement.) There are other elements also in Aligarh Movement, and they are significant. But modern education is the theme.
Science is part of modern education. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan suspected that advancement of western civilization in general and British in particular has something to do with Science. And its application in real life, called Technology. He verified it by physically seeing the western scientific, technological and industrial establishment. Science education was specifically on his agenda, not merely as part of of the whole education but as the main focus. Including science popularization. He wrote books on that. Even if they were about pulleys.

Science Popularization is an element of Aligarh Movement.