Lahore Garrison University

Entrepreneurship and Leadership

Assignment no 1
Leadership Qualities
Submitted To:
Ma`am Aiza Hussain
Submitted By:
Muniba Hussain

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Sir Syed Ahmed Khan

Introduction:
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan is a prominent figure in the history of South Asia, and his contribution to
the development of Muslim education and social reform is highly regarded. He was a visionary
leader who understood the importance of education and worked tirelessly to provide it to his
community. He is known for his efforts to promote education, religious harmony, and social and
economic development This assignment will examine 20 leadership qualities of Sir Syed Ahmed
Khan with real-time events that demonstrate his leadership skills and why they were significant.

Leadership Qualities:
i. Visionary
Sir Syed was a visionary leader who had a clear understanding of the challenges facing
the Muslim community in South Asia. He foresaw the need for modern education to
uplift his community and developed a plan to establish educational institutions for the
Muslim community.
ii. Courageous
Sir Syed was a courageous leader who was not afraid to stand up for his beliefs. He
opposed the conservative religious leaders of his time who were against modern
education and advocated for the empowerment of women.
iii. Charismatic
Sir Syed had a charismatic personality that inspired people to follow him. His speeches
and writings motivated people to work towards a better future for themselves and their
community.
iv. Creative
Sir Syed was a creative leader who developed new ideas and approaches to address the
challenges facing his community. He established the Aligarh Muslim University, which
became a model for modern education in South Asia.
v. Innovative
Sir Syed was an innovative leader who introduced new methods of teaching and learning.
He established a school that taught both religious and secular education, which was a
novel approach at the time.
vi. Long Term Strategic
Sir Syed was a strategic leader who had a clear plan of action to achieve his goals. He
worked tirelessly to establish educational institutions and raised funds for their
development.
vii. Motivator
Sir Syed was an inspirational leader who motivated people to work towards a better
future. His speeches and writings inspired people to take action and work towards the
betterment of their community.

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viii. Proactive
Sir Syed was also proactive in advocating for the social and economic upliftment of
Muslims. He established the United Patriotic Association in 1869, which worked to
promote social and economic development and to counter the negative portrayal of
Muslims in the British media.
Furthermore, Sir Syed was proactive in his efforts to promote religious harmony and
understanding between Muslims and other communities. He advocated for the formation
of a united Indian nation, in which people of all faiths could live together peacefully.
Overall, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan's proactivity was evident in his various initiatives to
promote education, social and economic development, and religious harmony among the
Muslim community and beyond.
Sir Syed was an empathetic leader who understood the struggles of his community. He
worked to provide education and employment opportunities to Muslims who were
underrepresented in the government and private sector.
ix. Determined
Sir Syed was a determined leader who did not give up easily. Despite facing numerous
obstacles, he continued to work towards his goal of establishing modern educational
institutions for the Muslim community.
x. Risk taker
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the renowned 19th-century Muslim reformer and educationist,
was a risk taker who made several bold moves throughout his life. One such event was
the establishment of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which later became the
Aligarh Muslim University. This was a risky move as it challenged the traditional Muslim
orthodoxy of the time and required significant resources to set up.
Another example of Sir Syed's risk-taking was his advocacy for the adoption of Western-
style education in India, despite significant opposition from traditionalists. He believed
that such education would help modernize and uplift the Muslim community, but this was
a controversial and risky stance to take in a time when many were opposed to Western
influences.

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