School Dropout To Doctor Salma Bhat

Salma was one of the four siblings of Gulam Mohammad Bhat at M Dass Public School. Each was charged a fee of Rs. 15 per month. Ghulam Mohammad has a saw mill at Bemina crossing opposite to Police colony.

Their fees were generally paid by their mother. Ghulam Mohammad would often tell me in a joke: “You have deprived me of my two free labourers from my home. Both my sons could relieve me from outside labour on payment.”

Around 1984, Salma passed class v. The new session started and Salma remained continuously absent and did not join class VI. One day I was on way to the other branch of the school near Gole Market, Karan Nagar for a routine check. Ghulam Mohammad met me at Kanikadal crossing beside Bindroo Chemist’s shop.

 I said: “Ghulam Mohammad, where is Salma? Why did she not join class VI?”

Ghulam Mohammad said: “Sir ji, she will not continue her studies beyond V. She is now physically matured (balaingh).”

I said: “From your family there are at least 15 students on roll in M Dass. They have all become matured. You withdraw all of them. Salma is a promising student. She may turn out to be an IAS officer or a doctor or something still better. You are damaging her roots.”

Ghulam Mohammad did not change his mind. My persuasion did not work. We parted. He went towards Amira kadal and me in the opposite direction towards Medical College.  En route, I stepped into the house of Ghulam Mohammad and called Salma. Salma dressed in pheran and pootch came down with her new born sister in her lap.

I said: “Salma, why don’t you come to school?”

Salma burst into tears, said: “Daddy ‘kahtay hain tum balaingh ho ghaie ho’ (Father says, you have turned matured)”

With a commanding voice I said: “Tairay daddy ki aisay ki taisee. Forget about his ignorance; change your dress and accompany me to school to join class VI.”

My command worked. Today Salma as was envisaged is doctor Salma married to the son of Ghulam Qadir proprietor of ZAM-ZAM Hotel. Doctor Salma was followed by two of her brothers Dr. Khalid and Dr. Zarar who were given a direct jump from seventh to ninth class. 1990, the year of my exodus, her sister the late Dr. Mehbooba was in class tenth. 1992, to our surprise we did not find her name in the merit list for doctors and 1993; she too captured a seat in the Medical College on her merit. Unfortunately she died in MBBS third year due to heart stroke.

The new born sister in the lap of Salma’s lap is Doctor Firdos.

Late nineties, I stealthily went to their home to extend my heartfelt condolences on the untimely sad demise of Dr. Mahbooba. Their mother told me in sobs that her children had only one set of school uniform and she used to wash and dry the same daily to make them fit for schooling.