Old is gold goes the saying. But this maxim doesn’t fit in well with the mental acuity of a huge number of people and is not palatable to new young generation. They generally mull over old people as a diminishing variety, a spent force, a listless lot and an unnecessary burden and dismiss this quotable quote as mere aphorism; a cliché which they believe is far away from truth; having no relevance and meaning at all. But their perception proves wholly incompatible with the reality when they look around and find a big platoon of oldies engaged in shaping up the ethos and image of their societies; making people what they are, through their contributions; old age being no impediment.
People like Khushwant Singh amply and aptly justify this wise saying. Even at the age of ninety six plus he doesn’t give up what has sustained him so far and earned him fame: the practice of writing which he is in no mood to give up even for a while till he is alive. Though intense, opulent and sensuous enough to earn him the notoriety of “India’s Dirty Old Man” over obsessed with sex, women and wine, his writings are highly valued and appreciated for their  merit, beauty and a razor sharp lyrical prose.
Likewise Devanand, the heart-throb of sixties is even more active and full of zip than he was fifty years ago. He keeps writing, producing and directing films with same vim as before even though he is old enough to embark on such an exciting and difficult enterprise.
Similarly L.K. Advani, the grand old face of Hindutva; the protagonist of the Hindu fundamentalism and Muslim bashing is entirely reluctant to give up his political career. He is so dynamic that he can easily beat a staunch young Hindu activist, in his twentys, not only in mauling his adversaries but also in organizing and leading the Padyatras and the Rathyatras tirelessly for days together to register his hegemony and above all his enmity against the minority community.
Even bigger surprises are furnished by history which is replete with examples of remarkable men and women with positive outlook and urge for refurbishing society with lofty cultural stocks and high values and for setting people free from bondage and alien domination. Bahadur Shah Zaffar, the last Mogul emperor is one such example. His accomplishments manifested themselves more glaringly in his old age than his youth. He practically paved the way for a literary renaissance and a remarkable cultural flowering in the sub-continent by creating a court of unsurpassed brilliance besides extending tremendous patronage to poets like Mirza Ghalib and Zauq when he had already crossed the age of eighty two. His advanced age didn’t come his way in playing the role of top-ranking insurgent to challenge the all-encompassing British power; the East India Company and its cronies.
Turning to our own contemporary Kashmir we find it bursting with ingenious oldies who are busily engaged in smartening up its milieu through the contributions they are unwaveringly making in different fields including literature, poetry, social sciences, religion and politics. Who is not familiar with the name of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the towering politician of ripe age known for his uncanny prowess, acumen, unshakable attitude, remarkable consistency of purpose and foresight? Frequent arrests and jail sentences have done nothing to deter this old man from doing what he does to recast the resistance narrative of Kashmir. He continues representing Kashmiri aspirations with such vigor and steadiness that the politicians and leaders of the age of his sons fail to manifest even three percent of that. You may agree or disagree with what he says or does but you can’t resist appreciating his determination, his fortitude and his grit: his virtues which are appealingly worth emulating by those who dabble in politics and, thereby, set out on their journey of playing with the future of Kashmir wittingly or unwittingly. Incredibly enough, these intrinsic qualities have won him an impressive number of fans who are always in the forefront to applaud him and never fail to come out in the open to strengthen his hands. His honesty of purpose, his devotion to cause, his guts and character have won him in Dr. Sameer Kaul-- my friend; a renowned Oncologist-- a great admirer who has written a beautiful critique of him in a lucid prose.
The grand plans and actions of the veteran politician are no doubt intended to achieve for Kashmir what the “heroes” of yester years have failed to accomplish in their life time. But there is ample scope for him to widen the range of his politics and improve the tactics of resistance. What he needs is to be proactive rather than reactive and do away with conventional fixations and agree to adapt himself to a strategy that: 1) takes sufficient care of day to day requirements of those he wants to set free; 2) accommodates conflicting aspirations of the people; 3) strikes a chord of unity among discordant voices raised from time to time from the resistance pulpits of Kashmir and; 4) doesn’t lose the sight of our history, geography and economics. It implies that he has to overhaul and reinvent the movement to make it compatible with the changed times and collective demands that can’t be ignored any more. 
Next in the category of Kashmir’s notable oldies is Muhmad Yousuf Butch; a Kashmiri of outstanding merit and huge eminence who, even though being physically away in US is never wanting in sharing the agonies and adversities heaped  upon the people of Kashmir on daily basis by the forces inimical to their aspirations. Staunchly linked to Kashmir cause, he is always there to uphold the Kashmiri craving for political, economic and cultural deliverance. He continues adding up unrelentingly to our awareness through his pen and through his lectures he is comfortable to give at international forums every now and then. His systematic writings are unquestionably indispensible for an objective understanding of our journey up the disputed and acrimonious relationship with the usurpers of the territories of erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir. Based on knowledge and the practicalities of the Kashmir situation and life they can deeply enrich the resistance narrative and greatly help the leadership in countering the dominant narrative fabricated by the anti people elements.
 Equally notable senior most Kashmiri is Dr. Aga Ashraf Ali, the most revered educationist who is credited with having elaborately planned operation of a literacy programme to unshackle the Kashmiri mind from mental backwardness at a time when it wasn’t prepared to settle in a new environment of intellectual inquiry and innovation. By strengthening the tradition of learning on scientific lines he was able, during his youthful days, to accelerate the Kashmiri enthusiasm for a socio-cultural ambience that was decidedly better than that of our ancestors. Despite his old age he is never wanting in raising hue and cry against the atrocities the Kashmiris are frequently subjected to by powers that be. He seems always eager to educate and enlighten people with his illuminating lectures on complex subjects and burning issues. He is habitual of delivering speeches extempore especially on events organized by supporters of every political hue. Sharing his varied experiences with the inquisitive visitors over a cup of tea-- which he is so fond of preparing himself with his own hands-- is his natural tendency. He is, however, yet to choose to climb on the author’s band-wagon and be part of the best-known writer’s directory of Kashmir by putting his pen to paper to give shape to his ideas which are really mind blowing. He is awake to the fact that his son and my class mate (at S.P.College), late Aga Shahid is globally acclaimed and widely read and remembered because of his written words which were born out of his wedlock with poetry. He is equally conscious of the universal truth that word written remains; word spoken vanishes and is never seen again.
Prof. Rehman Rahi is another soaring senior figure of Kashmir who’s thought-provoking and enchantingly sweet lyrics and verses have won him an unshakable place in the hearts of Kashmiri speaking people. Rahi has been dominating the literary scenario of the Valley for the last so many decades and will continue to do so till he is alive. His poetry is as lucid as that of Mahjoor; as splendid as that of Abdul Ahad Azad; as powerful and priceless as that of Rasool Mir. Undoubtedly, it is an antidote to unpleasantness that a social being is often exposed to in a relationship. Hardly there is anyone who is unfamiliar with this pretty sensible poet of great standing and high caliber; he has, of course, become a household name. If he agrees to flex his muscles further and extend his affectionate hands to wipe the tears of the victims of the tragedy that has befallen Kashmir and, thereby, mirrors the feelings of commoners he will definitely justify his existence not only as a worthy son of the soil but also as an unquestionable Literary Monarch of the land. In this noble endeavour he will have to carry those senior writers and poets along with whose mood changes like seasons and who are in the habit of reversing in the evenings what they do in the mornings.
 Prof. Hamidi Kashmiri, Muhmmad Yousuf Teng and Prof. Fida Hussnain  the senior most writers of huge eminence and wonderful achievements too can do a lot to redeem the sheer awfulness that our culture has become so entangled in due to an insatiable greed of some self-proclaimed experts and so-called writers for personal comforts, awards and power. Intellectually they are competent to find ways to assuage our angst and relieve us of our miseries. But are they really prepared to jump into hellhole and annoy their benefactors; the rectification of injustice is too hazardous a course to take on; it is like choosing between devil and deep sea. Can these doyens afford to walk on the thorny path that leads to liberation?
The senior most estimable Kashmiris like Prof. Shiekh Muhammad Iqbal, Prof. Firaq, Prof.M. Fazili, Prof. Margoob Banihali, Gulab Nabi Gowhar, Prof.T.N.Ganjoo (who despite his abduction didn’t leave Kashmir) and Pran Kishore (of Gul Gulshan Gulfam fame) are equally known for their contributions. Though outnumbered by those who resemble deciduous tree that loses its sheen as soon as autumn sets in, these men are assiduously engaged in boosting our language, literature knowledge and research despite the constraints of their age.

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Lastupdate on : Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Mecca time
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