Srinagar, Aug 7:  On his Fateha, glowing tributes were Sunday paid to Bakshi Abdul Qayoom, a prominent businessman and philanthropist who passed away Thursday.
 Qayoom, who was also the nephew of former Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad was remembered as a philanthropist who introduced  “blood bank culture in Kashmir” and himself donated blood as many as 38 times to make people aware of this noble cause.
 Scores of people from all walks of life including political figures attended the Fateha Khawani at the Malteng graveyard followed by a Duiya Majlis at his Sonawar residence.
 He was also remembered for having introduced help groups like Lions Club to Kashmir.
 “Even on the death bed, he was concerned towards the social work particularly the growth of Cancer Society of Kashmir.”
 The civil society said even the introduction of blind school at Ram Bagh was his creation.
 Qayoom’s brother Nazir Ahmed Bakshi shared a childhood anecdote of their native Khanqah -e-Sohkta to say that the deceased was a philanthropist by birth.
 “He (Qayoom) and I would often  bring home bakery from a local baker while our uncle would clear the dues, monthly. This was when he (Qayoom) started getting some additional bakery and would silently give the same to a poor woman living in the vicinity,” Bakshi recaps.
 But  after a month when the uncle went to clear the dues, he found the bill inflated.
 “As there was no clear reply from Qayoom, uncle beat him but he didn’t utter a word. Finally when my turn came to receive the blows, I at once spoke the reality as to what happened to the extra bakery,” Bakshi said with a smile but his eyes went moist.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 7 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 7 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 8 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST