It was June 2008. I went to his office with my colleague. I saw a person wearing red shirt and yellow tie. We heard him speak that I still remember very clearly, "I have very clearly called white, white and black, black". We both asked for permission and went inside. I narrated my fourfold grievances pertaining to hostel accommodation and so did my colleague. He spent some minutes with us patiently. Calm and modest as usual, despite being stuffed with work, he smiled in his disarming way and later told me that I will redress your problems very soon because you are a deserving student. At the same time, he banned the student who was recommended by some higher authorities for hostel accommodation.
My second encounter with this person was when he met me outside the hostel office, I still remember it was third week of June, bright and sunny day, the sun at its sparkling best and my heart doing some extra beat. This time he called me by my name "Saliq" I was amazed, I quickly rushed and he asked me about my financial situation and advised me Saliq, concentrate on your studies because I know the expectations of your parents try to live up to their hopes. Use your parent's money judiciously especially when they have done it for you. I joined the hostel and now I felt him very closely. I saw every time he kept himself busy with one thing or another but I witness they all had a bearing on the development of hostel and welfare of the boarders of S.A.Boys Hostel university of Kashmir. It was part of his mission to generate an atmosphere conducive to make boarders of the hostel well mannered, disciplined, dedicated and honest. He used to give long lessons on moral  and ethical values. Persons like him are born in centuries.
He is a very honest man that I have ever seen in the whole campus. Any application or file sent to him, or put before him would definitely come first for long discussion. For him nothing was unimportant. Everything even a scrap of paper belonging to hostel was most important for him. Joining the hostel as warden he changed the whole scenario maintained accounts of students. Not only maintained but later used to tally with attendance registers thus leaving not an iota of doubt in the minds of students. One could see him very violent on seeing at the guests in the hostel. He always advised us sincerely that "I treat you as my own children and try to fulfill your demands as I fulfill the demands of my own son" but my dears, concentrate on your studies and left all the matters to me I will solve them.
His memory is amazing he could remember all boarders of his hostel by their names, room numbers, departments and by other means too. He is very dedicated and devoted person besides that he is a good orator and best listener and an innovator in the art of communication. Visiting hostel was his routine work in late hours there patting warmly on students asking them about their problems.
He is very honest. This was evident from the fact that he never tasted the hostel food in his entire warden ship. There are some people whom one remembers in one's lifetime. Wherever I go, whatever I do, but I just can't forget the face, the name which I hold so high. Such people give your hostel life a new meaning, a new sense. I wish all hostel boarders come across some gentle souls and nice individuals like these.

(Saleeq Ahmad is a boarder of S.A.boys hostel, University of Kashmir. Feedback omarsaleeq@gmail.com)

Lastupdate on : Mon, 31 May 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 31 May 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 1 Jun 2010 00:00:00 IST