To hate is a vice and to love is divine.

Most of the Kashmiri Pundits have been in the teaching profession and most of them have been dedicated and successful teachers. I being a teacher know it well that the greatest reward to the teacher is the performance of his or her student. The more the student excels the more the teacher is rewarded.

I recall, when Madam Sukriti Saproo, after her first caesarian delivery came to senses, the first words she uttered were: “Rubaya Rashid ( Nawchoo of Chattabal) take your note book. I have evaluated it.”

Abid Bazaz (At present professor NIT, Srinagar ) used to stand first in his class while his friend Naveen Dhar(at present in Ireland ) second. Naveen’s father, though a veteran professor of Chemistry used to accuse me of partiality and so would the late Mohammad Amin Khan, when his daughter Marya Khan would be second to Naval Duloo. I used to handover the answer papers of the first ten to such parents to get exonerated of the allegations. Naval passed XII through Mahrashtra Board and stood first in English, throughout the Board.

I consider myself very small in the field, because I got chance to serve the community for a little span of 17 years (1973-Dec.1989) only. I feel highly rewarded; when I see my students excel in all walks of life globally.

1968, before his death, the late Govind Joo kaw, gave a light knock at the door of Ghulam Rasool Raja (Retired Education Officer) of Zaindar mohalla (At present behind Neelam Cinema Shutra Shahi) early in the morning and handed the MA (Previous) Economcs notes of his daughter to him. Those days there were a few graduates in the whole area and Ghulam Rasool (Darzi cum Raja) was one of them.

There have been some bad teachers too. I have suffered very badly at the hands of Kanth Ram of National High School and Neelkanth of Mission School Habba kadal, but the credit of overall progress of kashmiris goes to the teaching community, majority of whom was from kashmiri Pundit community.

My father the late Pundit Madho Dass cautioned me lest the education zeal of Gani Sofi of Chrar Sharief should suffer for want of finances. I personally begged the late Abdul Ganihe soul of Abdul Gaffar Shah (Retd. Education Officer) who paid the entire amount from the ‘zakat’ money he had kept aside for such purposes.

Academic excellence is not religion based. I believe the environment of Kashmir is the best for pursuance of excellence in the field of education. Kashmiri Muslims appreciated the value of education very late, while as an illiterate kashmiri Pundit, though financially sound is an outcaste in his society. Even in the 21st century hundred percent Muslims do not avail of the opportunity. It is only the few amongst the Peerzadas, Sahibzadas, Qureshis and the like who are in pursuit of academic excellence. Child labour, illiteracy of a big chunk, divorces on trivial basis, unplanned family and sex discrimination are still big stigma on the community.

Kashmiri Pundit is the only Hindu community that does not believe in castes.

We all suffer because of the wrongs of the History. Converts are justified for their grievance. Our orthodox ancestors showed their short sightedness when they refused to accept them back. The result of that historical blunder is obvious.

Mid eighties, one Sadhu from the South approached me and said: “I want to deliver a lecture to your students to make them good citizens.”

I made him comfortable and told him to wait a little until the morning mass prayer was over. In the meantime I asked Ghulam Mohammad to prepare a cup of tea for the distinguished guest.

The Sadhu was soon furious and said: “I am an elevated Sadhu, I don’t even touch preparations made by Muslims.”

I said: “You are badly in need of a lecture from my primary class students. They can teach you much to make you civilized. I can take tea prepared by my sweeper Subhan Sheikh, after he washes his hands with soap”. The Sadhu had to leave without getting

educated and enlightened.

To conclude, I believe, to hate is a vice and to love is divine and a virtue to be proud of.(Prop. Gani Furniture at Zaindar mohalla) for collection of 35 rupees for his university admission fees. Peace be to t