I was shocked when a former senior announcer of AIR Kashmir texted me about the demise of Dr Aziz Hajini. I never knew he was unwell and that is why I couldn’t believe the news. For about three years due to COVID-19 and other circumstances we lost all contact.
Dr Hajini worked with me in NowhattaHigher Secondary for sometime. A celebrated Kashmiri scholar then was deputed to different administrative posts to promote Kashmiri language in the valley. Teaching Kashmiri as a subject from the primary level was his priority. He succeeded in his mission and Kashmiri language was included in JK BOSE syllabus also. He tried his level best to give recognition to this language. Dr Hajini also worked with me in AIR Kashmir as Kashmiri newsreader. Besides him, his co-casual newsreaders, Mr Bashar Bashir and Mr Roshan Khayal also contributed a lot to promote Kashmiri language. He also worked as Deputy Director Academics in BOSE
Dr Hajini worked very hard as Secretary Cultural Academy. He would organise Kashmiri symposia, debates and seminars on Kashmiri language, Afsana, prose, poetry, Band Jashan, Band Paethirand old Kashmiri traditions. Dr Hajini as a person was very generous, helpful and always smiling. He never criticized anybody’s Kashmiri poetic verses. He would always give good suggestions. Dr Hajini as a Kashmiri ghazal writer was fulfilling all parameters of Kashmiri ghazals which are liked by everyone. His famous ghazal “be hachus Aziz-e-Hajini be-yaaromadadgaar” became very popular throughout the valley.
Barely a week may have passed, my friend texted me about another shocking news of Mrs Shaista Qawoosa, an Arabic lecturer who worked with me in SP Higher Secondary for a long time. It was a co-incidence, when Mrs Shaista, me and Dr Hajini met in a seminar organised by the academic cell of BOSE. I introduced her to Dr Hajini and both of them had a long discussion regarding Kashmiri and Arabic language. Dr Hajini suggested her to translate some Arabic writeups of Arabic authors in Kahmiri. MrsShaista replied in Arabic which I didn’t understand and Dr Hajini repeated his suggestion and MrsShaista now replied in Kashmiri “agar khodayanyoch”(If God wishes) I will do it. In the meantime, Dr Hajini was transferred from BOSE. After this MrsShaista remained busy in motivating students to learn Arabic language seriously.
There were two posts of Arabic in SP Higher Secondary, and due to the less number of students, these posts were merged in science subjects. Against these posts, lecturers from science faculty were working for a pretty long time and Shaista Ji got them re-allocated from directorate and good number of students were attracted towards Arabic, in this way Shaista Ji established Arabic faculty with her hard work and dedication. She always tried her level best to deliver. She was soft spoken and never boasted about meritorious children. She was a lady of principles, morals and values. Besides her own subject, she would also teach moral education to students. She would work as an Arabic paper setter, evaluator and also contributing, framing syllabus of Arabic for 11th and 12th class.
In her free time, she would teach me basic Arabicqaida and would discuss regarding Qirat, pronunciation and Tajweed. She was very close to MrsAbida Khan. They looked like twin sisters but they were not. MrsShaista as a person was very helpful. She would arrange all programs of cultural activities on every Saturday in the school campus. She as superintendent of examinations was very strict. She was very popular amongst her students and colleagues. All principals under whom she worked admired and appreciated her. She was free from inhibitions and was straight forward. One day we were in evaluation centre and she told me that she is not well, I took it non-seriously. After taking treatment for six months, we met again, she fought her disease bravely till her last breath. She left us on 18th September 2021.
Innalillahiwainnailaihiraajioon. In Dr.Hajini and Mrs. ShaistaQawoosawe have lost two great souls. My heartfelt condolences with their families particularly with Mr AzharHajini and Mr MuzzafarQawoosa, Dr Khalid Qawoosa and all others. May Allah bless the two departed souls. Aameen.