Iconic figure in medical profession, Prof Farhat Hameed passes away
Srinagar, Jan 10: A towering figure in the medical profession in Jammu and Kashmir, and one of the best known gynaecologists and obstetricians, Dr. (Prof) Farhat Hameed, passed away today in USA, where she was briefly sick and living with her family. Dr Farhat was a respected mentor, professor and trainer apart from being a competent and compassionate specialist at the Government Medical College, Srinagar.
She served the people of J&K through compassionate care. Her death is being widely mourned by people who have been touched by her at many points in their lives. After her retirement from GMC Srinagar, she continued serving people at her clinic at Barbar Shah Srinagar. She provided specialised care in women's health for many years. Her expertise in her profession has served the people with dedication, earning recognition from patients for attentive and effective treatment and care.
Survived by her two children, she was a doyen of wisdom and brilliance. People from all walks of life paid rich tributes to her charismatic personality and exemplary expertise as a doctor.
Director SKIMS Prof. M. Ashraf Ganie and SKIMS Faculty expressed profound grief over the demise. “We mourn the passing of Prof Farhat Hameed, a remarkable clinician, a legendary teacher, and an institution in herself. Her contributions to the medical profession, to teaching, and to society will remain unforgettable. Her demise is a profound loss to the medical fraternity,” Dr Ganie said.
“We extend our heartfelt condolences to her family & relatives. May Almighty Allah grant her the highest place in Jannat-ul-Firdous and give strength to her loved ones to bear this irreparable loss.”
Prof Nighat Hafeez, a family member of Dr Farhat, said she expired with dignity exactly as she wished, congruent with her personal life. She said as a doctor, she was an outstanding specialist in her field, a highly skilled gynaecologist, a trusted caretaker of her patients, who would adore her. “She was remarkable, empathetic and highly efficient; a teacher par excellence, exceptional human being for everyone,” she said.
She expressed her personal loss saying: “For me, she was Baji, a sister who played the sister act with mother touch, more than expected from the sisters by blood.”
Noted journalist, Yousuf Jameel posted on his X handle: I am deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn of the passing of Dr Farhat Hameed, my former neighbour in the Mushtaq Press Enclave (Press Colony) at Pratap Park, Srinagar. She was not only a wonderful, decent, and kind-hearted lady but also an exceptionally competent and compassionate gynaecologist who touched so many lives with her care and expertise. Jameel prayed for the departed soul and for patience and strength to her family and all those who mourn her loss.
Prof Shahnaz Taing, former Head of Department Gynecology and Obstetrics at GMC Srinagar, recalled her as a person with a golden heart. "I have not met a more humble, kind and caring person, not just for the colleagues and students, but for everyone she came in contact with," she said. She paid rich tributes to the deceased while expressing condolences with the family.
Prof Farhat Jabeen, former HoD Gynaecology and Obstetrics, GMC Srinagar recalled how as a teacher, Prof Farhat would ensure her students the kind of freedom to explore difficult cases and guide them through it. “Her brilliance as a teacher has been unmatched. She would always be smiling, the kind of smile that takes worries away from the faces it touches. She would respect everyone in hospitals, from the gatekeepers to patients, she would greet everyone,” she said.
She recalled how once Dr Farhat endured the anger of an attendant who mistook her for someone else. “She sat silently and heard them out without complaining. When we asked her why she did so? She replied it would save someone else from hurtful words,” Prof Jabeen recalled while exemplifying her kindness.
Prof Shariq Masoodi, former head of Endocrinology SKIMS Soura recalled how even after forty years have passed, the memory of her classes and her compassionate presence remains as clear as ever in his mind. “Dr Farhat Hameed was a rare blend of brilliance and kindness. She didn't just deliver lectures; she delivered wisdom. A legendary teacher and an even better human being,” he said
Prof Iqbal Saleem, Head Department of General Surgery, GMC Srinagar, said Prof Farhat was a people’s obstetrician and gynecologist who has brought countless lives into this world with her excellent people-friendly management. "A soft-spoken, diligent teacher who shaped and modelled countless doctors and specialist. God bless her soul," he said.
