From a Freedom Fighter’s Legacy to the Classroom: Meet Muqarrab Hadi, the Educator Who Chose India Over a Career Abroad

NEW DELHI: This Teachers’ Day, the story of Muqarrab Hadi brings together two generations of service to India. The grandson of a freedom fighter and the son of an educator who has devoted five decades to education, Hadi chose to return to India after building an international academic career, carrying forward his family’s tradition of service through education.

The Grandson of a Freedom Fighter

Hadi’s story begins with his grandfather, a freedom fighter who contributed to India’s struggle for independence and was later honoured for his service to the nation.

Decades later, the family’s idea of service took a different form. Hadi’s father dedicated nearly 50 years to education, with the family’s educational journey tracing back to 1976.

Growing up with both sacrifice and education at the heart of his family’s story, Hadi developed a belief that nation-building does not end with independence—it continues through the generations.

From Engineer to International Academic

Hadi began his professional career as a Project Engineer at Indira Gandhi International Airport. His academic achievements subsequently took him to the University of Auckland in New Zealand for higher studies.

It was there that he entered teaching as a lecturer, discovering an interest in education that would eventually shape his career.

His academic journey later took him to the Middle East, where he served as an Assistant Professor at Qassim University’s College of Engineering.

With an established international academic career and the opportunities that came with it, Hadi could have continued his professional journey overseas. Instead, he chose to return to India.

Choosing India Over a Career Abroad

Hadi’s decision to return was driven by a desire to contribute to education in his own country.

Rather than viewing his international experience as something to leave behind, he brought it back with him—combining global academic exposure with the values he had inherited from his family.

Alongside engineering and academia, he also pursued a law degree, developing a multidisciplinary perspective that he now applies to education and institution-building.

Education as a New Form of Nation-Building

Hadi believes that the challenges facing India today require a different kind of service.

For his grandfather’s generation, the struggle was for freedom. For today’s generation, he believes, the responsibility is to build a society that knows how to use that freedom wisely.

His approach to education therefore extends beyond textbooks and examinations. He advocates learning through nature, animals, games, travel and real-life experiences, encouraging children to develop compassion, curiosity and a sense of responsibility.

His central belief is that a successful education system should produce not only academically capable students, but also good human beings and responsible citizens.

A Family Legacy Continues

Hadi’s contribution to education has also received public recognition, including an Education Award presented by the Deputy Chief Minister for his work in strengthening education in Rampur.

Yet, for him, recognition is secondary to the larger purpose of education.

His journey represents a unique continuity across generations: a grandfather who served the country during the freedom movement, a father who spent decades educating children, and a grandson who returned from an international career to continue that work in a new generation.

This Teachers’ Day

Teachers’ Day is a celebration of those who shape the future quietly, one student at a time.

Muqarrab Hadi’s journey offers a story of how a family’s commitment to the nation can evolve across generations—from the struggle for freedom to the struggle against ignorance, limited opportunities and outdated approaches to learning.

His grandfather fought for a free India. His family built its future through education. Hadi chose to carry that legacy forward—this time, through the classroom.