U Razak (

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

: ; ; , ; also Abdul Razak; 20 January 1898 – 19 July 1947) was a Burmese politician and an

educationalist Education sciences, also known as education studies or education theory, and traditionally called ''pedagogy'', seek to describe, understand, and prescribe education including education policy. Subfields include comparative education, educationa ...

. Of mixed Bamar-Indian ancestry, he was a cabinet minister in

Aung San Aung San (, ; 13 February 191519 July 1947), known honorifically as '' Bogyoke'' Aung San, was a Burmese politician, independence activist and revolutionary. He was instrumental in Myanmar's struggle for independence from British rule, but he w ...

's pre-independence interim government, and was assassinated on 19 July 1947 along Sung San and six other cabinet ministers. July 19 is commemorated each year as

Martyrs' Day Martyrs' Day are days observed in or by some countries, including the United States, Japan, India, Brazil, Canada and Australia, to recognise martyrs such as soldiers, revolutionaries or victims of genocide. Below is a list of various Martyrs' Days ...

in Myanmar. Razak was Minister of Education and National Planning, and was chairman of the Burma Muslim Congress. Abdul Razak was born in

Meiktila Meiktila (; ) is a city in central Burma on the banks of Meiktila Lake in the Mandalay Region at the junctions of the Bagan- Taunggyi, Yangon- Mandalay and Meiktila-Myingyan highways. Because of its strategic position, Meiktila is home to Myanm ...

Upper Burma Upper Myanmar ( or , also called Upper Burma) is one of two geographic regions in Myanmar, the other being Lower Myanmar. Located in the country's centre and north stretches, Upper Myanmar encompasses six inland states and regions, including ...

, on 20 January 1898 to Nyein Hla, a Buddhist of Bamar descent, and Sheik Abdul Rahman, a wealthy Indian police inspector. While his brothers and sisters chose to be Buddhists, he maintained the Muslim name Razak, in honor of his father. Although nominally Muslim, Razak was a secularist who deeply loved Burma and encouraged unity in diversity. He studied at the Wesleyan School in Mandalay, and continued his studies at the Rangoon College, earning a B.A. degree in English. Throughout his school years, Razak was involved in athletics. In 1920, Razak was the first Burmese organiser of a boycott of the British colonial education system. In 1921, he became headmaster of Mandalay National High School. Razak's natural charisma was effective in persuading the Mandalayans. Mandalay, where he taught, was a center of Burmese Buddhist faith and culture. Yet Razak was fully accepted by the community. When

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invaded Burma in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he was imprisoned. In 1945, Abdul Razak was named chairman of the Mandalay branch of Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League (AFPFL) and was elected a Member of Parliament to represent Mandalay. He was Minister of Education and National Planning in

's cabinet. He died on 19 July 1947 together with six other cabinet members. Razak initiated calls for unity between Burmese

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s and

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s. He was a Muslim, but maintained ties to Buddhism, educating himself on

Pali Pāli (, IAST: pāl̤i) is a Classical languages of India, classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages, Middle Indo-Aryan language of the Indian subcontinent. It is widely studied because it is the language of the Buddhist ''Pali Canon, Pāli Can ...

, the sacred script of

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, and helped found the Mandalay College (modern

Mandalay University Mandalay University (also translated as University of Mandalay; ) is a public liberal arts and science university located in Mandalay, Myanmar and one of the sixteen autonomous universities under Ministry of Education (Myanmar), Ministry of Ed ...

). Razak fathered three children.

References

*''Burmese Encyclopedia'', Vol. 11, p. 73 printed in 1970. {{DEFAULTSORT:Razak, U Assassinated Burmese politicians Deaths by firearm in Myanmar 1898 births 1947 deaths Burmese Muslims People murdered in Myanmar University of Yangon alumni Muslim activists Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League politicians Government ministers of Myanmar Burmese people of Indian descent People from Mandalay Region Burmese Muslim activists Politicians assassinated in the 1940s