By Gh. Nabi Lone (Lecturer)
On that freezing cold morning of ‘Chillai Kalan’, when all remedies and medicine failed to work, every patient of Harie would rush to the first house of village in Dard Harie in Kupwara.
The first and visibly occupied house of Medical Assistant Mr Gh Quadir Mir, whose mere presence was enough to soothe a patient. Whether babies, children, youth or elderly, everyone relied on Mr Mir’s timely advice.
A trusted name, as Mr Mir retired after putting in 36 years of service in State Health Department, everyone in the village felt emotional.
Not just Harie, but even the nearby villages like Lone Harie, Sonarpora, Rashanpora, Meeliyal, Kachahama, Tangwari and others acknowledged his debt, as there is hardly any house in the village that didn’t received his sincere service during these years.
However, very few people are aware of the fact that he was assigned this job by a legend of his age.
AsGh Qadir sb narrates his story…..
“I had just passed my 12th class in early 1980’s, when I got a regular job in Notified Area Committee Kupwara with a handsome salary. Belonging to a financially weak family, it was a sort of joy for us to have a family member with govt job. I had completed two years of service on that post, when once Lone Saab, the late Ab. Gani Lone suggested to my uncle that I should go for Medical assistant training, as the village was in dire need of medical facility. Such was the respect and motivation of Lone Saab that my elders could not turn down his suggestion, albeit they were well wishers of another political party and had financial constraints at home. On his suggestion, I quit my regular job and went for training without any salary or stipend for one year.”
In the prevailing environs where materialism rules the day, there seldom exist such examples where people sacrifice their materialistic needs,ego and comfort for easing the sufferings of others. Though his usual duty was from 10 am to 4 pm but he was a 24 hours warrior and his doors always remained open for people to get his possible service and help.
This service was rendered without any photographic visuals, which is the order of the day, as according to Mir Saab, “If I did anything worth for the society, I did it for the pleasure of Almighty, hence no need of admiration in this mortal world”.
The current time shadowed by selfishness and greed is in need of such characters which ought be copied by future generations to have a peaceful and ever-cherishing society.
On his retirement, every person of our village saluted his dedication to his profession, solictiousness towards his service and humility of his behavior. It was a sight to behold, when people gathered to shower words of praise and stories of great service rendered by Mir Saab.
Acknowledging his selfless service, the co-villagers felicitated him in the local Jamia Masjid in a unique rather inviable manner, which is too rare for a civil servant these days.
We are optimistic that he may continue his noble service for many more years to come. May Allah bestow him with happy, prosperous and peaceful post-retirement life and may Allah lavish his best rewards on him, here and hereafter.
“A life lived for others is life worthwhile”
A tribute from well wishers
