ABSTRACT
Chapter 1 seeks to provide an authentic chronology of Sir Syed’s family linage, his early upbringing and life-transforming events. An attempt is made to draw up a precise and objective appraisal of his extensive and varied historical, religious, creative and journalistic writings, socio-religious reformative movement, and educational endeavours. Unremembered details of the official positions he held also discussed. Sir Syed received the Star of India and was appointed a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society in London, University of Calcutta and University of Allahabad. He visited England in 1869, which the chapter also focuses on. It carefully scrutinises the facts supplied by his biographers who differed significantly by sifting through his periodicals, The Loyal Mohammedans of India, The Aligarh Institute Gazette and Tahzibul Akhlaq. The distinctive features of one of the seminal figures of nineteenth-century India are delineated with documentary evidence.
