--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This great Mughal Emperor [Akbar] was…" description: "\"This great Mughal Emperor [Akbar] was illiterate; he could neither read nor write. However, that had not stopped Akbar from cultivating the acquaintanc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/indu-sundaresan-51440_acquaintance_this-great-mughal-emperor-akbar-was-illi_2141618.jpg" --- # This great Mughal Emperor \[Akbar\] was illiterate; he could… ![“This great Mughal Emperor [Akbar] was illiterate; he could neither read nor write. However, that had not stopped Akbar from cultivating the acquaintance of the most learned and cultured poets, authors, musicians, and architects of the time - relying solely on his remarkable memory during…” quote by Indu Sundaresan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/indu-sundaresan-51440_acquaintance_this-great-mughal-emperor-akbar-was-illi_2141618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/indu-sundaresan-51440_acquaintance_this-great-mughal-emperor-akbar-was-illi_2141618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c27/indu-sundaresan-51440_acquaintance_this-great-mughal-emperor-akbar-was-illi_2141618.jpg) > “This great Mughal Emperor \[Akbar\] was illiterate; he could neither read nor write. However, that had not stopped Akbar from cultivating the acquaintance of the most learned and cultured poets, authors, musicians, and architects of the time - relying solely on his remarkable memory during conversations with them.” [Indu Sundaresan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indu-sundaresan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Akbar’s reliance on memory shows that leadership can thrive through listening and oral tradition, not just literacy. **In simple terms:** Leadership can be oral. Key Takeaway Cultivate listening and memory. Themes leadership learning memory Mood respectful thoughtful Type historical inspirational When to use this quote - historical context - council meetings Key Concepts oral tradition cognitive skills Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance listening with reading? - What oral traditions enrich you? A Different Perspective Memory alone may limit access to written knowledge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acquaintance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquaintance/) [Akbar Cultivating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/akbar-cultivating-4461650/) [Akbar Illiterate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/akbar-illiterate-4461648/) [Architect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/architect/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Emperor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emperor/) [Emperor Akbar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emperor-akbar-4461649/) [Illiterate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illiterate/) [Illiterate Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illiterate-read-4461651/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Remarkable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remarkable/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I'm quite illiterate, but I read a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/i-m-quite-illiterate-but-i-read-a-lot/) [J. D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger-2/) > [“Helen Keller became deaf, dumb, and blind shortly after birth. Despite her greatest misfortune, she has written her name indelibly in the pages of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/helen-keller-became-deaf-dumb-and-blind-shortly-after-birth-despite/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I shouldn't say bad stuff about illiterate people. I should write it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-shouldn-t-say-bad-stuff-about-illiterate-people-i-should-write-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Having a financially illiterate society is dangerous, and we have to do something about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mellody-hobson/having-a-financially-illiterate-society-is-dangerous-and-we-have-to/) [Mellody Hobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mellody-hobson/) > [Luckily, I'm not educated. If you act like an illiterate man, your learning will never stop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arunachalam-muruganantham/luckily-i-m-not-educated-if-you-act-like-an-illiterate-man-your/) [Arunachalam Muruganantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arunachalam-muruganantham/) > [I admire Laura Bush because she's the only librarian who would marry an illiterate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-sparks/i-admire-laura-bush-because-she-s-the-only-librarian-who-would-marry/) [Hal Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-sparks/) > [Illiterate people on the computer and I don't go well together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/illiterate-people-on-the-computer-and-i-don-t-go-well-together/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Ignorance and illiteracy are obviously not synonymous; even illiterate masses can cast their ballots with intelligence, once they are informed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-orville-douglas/ignorance-and-illiteracy-are-obviously-not-synonymous-even-illiterate/) [William Orville Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-orville-douglas/) > [“the illiterate of the future will not be those that cannot read or write. Rather, they will be those that cannot learn, unlearn and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-woodward/the-illiterate-of-the-future-will-not-be-those-that-cannot-read-or/) [J.R. Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-woodward/) > [The basic scam in the Internet age is pretty easy even for the financially illiterate to grasp. It was as if banks like Goldman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/the-basic-scam-in-the-internet-age-is-pretty-easy-even-for-the/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [“Those captivated by the cult of celebrity do not examine voting records or compare verbal claims with written and published facts and reports. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/those-captivated-by-the-cult-of-celebrity-do-not-examine-voting/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [Our legal system, including the police, is anti-Dalit and anti-poor. The death penalty laws' wrathful majesty, in blood-shot equality, deals the fatal blow on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-r-krishna-iyer/our-legal-system-including-the-police-is-anti-dalit-and-anti-poor-the/) [V. R. Krishna Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-r-krishna-iyer/) > [You can't have people making decisions about the future of the world who are scientifically illiterate. That's a recipe for disaster. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/you-can-t-have-people-making-decisions-about-the-future-of-the-world/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [It's a great lesson in modesty that you realize you're illiterate in a field that you think you're an expert in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wim-wenders/it-s-a-great-lesson-in-modesty-that-you-realize-you-re-illiterate-in/) [Wim Wenders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wim-wenders/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) ## More by Indu Sundaresan > [“But Mehrunnisa did not know then, would never know, by giving her blessings to this marriage she had set into progress a chain of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indu-sundaresan/but-mehrunnisa-did-not-know-then-would-never-know-by-giving-her/) [Indu Sundaresan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indu-sundaresan/) > [“She thought she could see the lines on his forehead even in this darkness, she thought she could hear his heart beat with this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indu-sundaresan/she-thought-she-could-see-the-lines-on-his-forehead-even-in-this/) [Indu Sundaresan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indu-sundaresan/) > [“But nothing could be held true for the rest of one's life, every coveted thing in the end was maya, illusion, a myth, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indu-sundaresan/but-nothing-could-be-held-true-for-the-rest-of-one-s-life-every/) [Indu Sundaresan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indu-sundaresan/) > [“No, no, don’t touch your mother just before the baby is born. Now it will be a girl child, because you are one. Run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indu-sundaresan/no-no-don-t-touch-your-mother-just-before-the-baby-is-born-now-it/) [Indu Sundaresan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indu-sundaresan/) [Explore all 5 Indu Sundaresan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indu-sundaresan/) ## More Acquaintance quotes > [Distrust all those who love you extremely upon a very slight acquaintance and without any visible reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distrust-all-those-who-love-you-extremely-upon-a-very-slight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be much alone with God, and take time to get thoroughly acquainted. Converse over everything with Him. Unburden yourself wholly -every thought, feeling, wish,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horatius-bonar/be-much-alone-with-god-and-take-time-to-get-thoroughly-acquainted/) [Horatius Bonar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horatius-bonar/) > [The study of history and philosophy, accompanied by some acquaintance with art and literature, should be for lawyers and engineers as well as for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/the-study-of-history-and-philosophy-accompanied-by-some-acquaintance/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [One frequently only finds out how really beautiful a women is, until after considerable acquaintance with her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/one-frequently-only-finds-out-how-really-beautiful-a-women-is-until/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“I'd rather be a nodding acquaintance, than a bobble head”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-stern/i-d-rather-be-a-nodding-acquaintance-than-a-bobble-head/) [Josh Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-stern/) > [In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant… My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known —…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/in-addition-to-my-other-numerous-acquaintances-i-have-one-more/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [God is a spirit. Jesus was led up of the Spirit to be tempted of the Devil; and it is also true that spirits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bradlaugh/god-is-a-spirit-jesus-was-led-up-of-the-spirit-to-be-tempted-of-the/) [Charles Bradlaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bradlaugh/) > [ \[On an anarchist acquaintance:\] Everything in appearance the most alarmist aunt could wish. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-townsend-warner/on-an-anarchist-acquaintance-everything-in-appearance-the-most/) [Sylvia Townsend Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-townsend-warner/) > [There is no such thing as educational value in the abstract. The notion that some subjects and methods and that acquaintance with certain facts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/there-is-no-such-thing-as-educational-value-in-the-abstract-the/) [John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/) > [ \[Books\] will visit you at your convenience, whether you are lonesome or not, on rainy days or fair. They propose themselves as either transient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/books-will-visit-you-at-your-convenience-whether-you-are-lonesome-or/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [I'm not dating Prateik; he is just a good acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amyra-dastur/i-m-not-dating-prateik-he-is-just-a-good-acquaintance/) [Amyra Dastur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amyra-dastur/) > [Moderation is the inseparable companion of wisdom, but with it genius has not even a nodding acquaintance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/moderation-is-the-inseparable-companion-of-wisdom-but-with-it-genius/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [The greatest embarrassment of my political career has been that active duties seem to deprive me of time for careful investigation. I seem almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/the-greatest-embarrassment-of-my-political-career-has-been-that/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [A woman who can't forgive should never have more than a nodding acquaintance with a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-woman-who-can-t-forgive-should-never-have-more-than-a-nodding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 484 Acquaintance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acquaintance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This great Mughal Emperor [Akbar] was illiterate; he could neither read nor write. 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