Sir: During the Dark Age, the world was engulfed with many wars, conflicts and socio -political turbulence. There was a competition of power and fame. Likewise, in the 19th century, the European imperialism colonised most of the African and Asian countries for degrading them in all aspects of their lives. The political power and domination over colonised created a sense of pride and arrogance among European nations. At that time, common citizens had no social and political rights. Broadly speaking, these are the intellectuals who spoke truth and worked for the eradication of social evils from society. In the same way, there have had been several intellectuals who worked dawn to dusk for shaping and converting the destiny of their nations. Likewise, if one flips the pages of history, one can find countless shining stars who performed and dedicated their lives for a prosperous nation. Among them Sir Syed Ahmed Khan is also considered a leading figure who made extraordinary efforts for the well-being of Muslims of Subcontinent. No one can deny the fact that today every advanced society is mainly the product of sagacious personalities. Last but not the least; intellectuals are the backbone of a well-developed nation and society. Come what may, intellectuals should be respected by all. ADIL G M Via Email