Wahid Sahib, I miss you!

I joined the Department of Economics, University of Kashmir, one of the most beautiful campuses in the world,  as a postgraduate student in 1972 and shifted to Delhi in 1990 after spending some momentous years of my life under the shades of Nassem Bagh Chinars. In the salubrious Kashmir University environment people of all the shades (teachers, fellow students, colleagues across the departments, administrators and supporting staff) generously tolerated me to live life of my choice. Among others Professor Abdul Wahid (Popularly known among our class of M.A. Students as Wahid Sahib) was a very powerful influence in shaping my journey to higher education. Students of my age immensely liked Wahid Sahib more for his gentleness, humility and admirable patience than his teaching.

I met Wahid Sahib for the first time in the corridors of the Controllers’ Office Old Building, where Departments of History and Economics co-exited side by side. Wearing an old-styled Victorian suit Wahid Sahib impressed me beyond belief with his sweet Karnahe ascent. After listening to me for while he said, “I am here for you. Never be formal with me. You are always welcome. We have very good teachers like Professor BD Sharma, Professor Misri and Professor B. A. Khan. 

I have to teach you Statistics and Public Finance”. Of Course he taught both these subjects with lot of dedication and hard work. From this day till I left Kashmir University in 1990 Professor Wahid was always there for me. We developed an informal relationship which defied all odds; all ups and downs-----my anti-establishment activism and ideology versus his moderation. A gentleman -- possessing sheen of the great Qazi Family of Karnah. Over the years I realized that this moderation was partly due to his mature grounding in Classical Political Economy particularly Adam Smith who solidly stood between the market and the state. 

We partially influenced each other but steadfastly remained tied to our ways of living a life both within and outside the campus. Very tolerant and elegant he would never lose his cool even under extreme provocations. I was fortunate to be Wahid Sahib's Student, research scholar and then a colleague. I am equally fortunate to be alumni of the University of Kashmir. In achieving this honor I owe much to my teachers like Wahid Sahib.

During my times, Department of Economics was like a traditional Kashmiri joint family representing microcosm of the Kashmiri culture and society -----Professor BD Sharma and Professor Misri as family elders, Professor Wahid and Professor B.A.Khan as very crafty peacekeepers and the well-wishers of all the family members, Professor Nisar, Professor Dost Mohammad and Professor R.L.Bhat Young Turks (always very argumentative laced with Post-Keynesian Chat Masala but always sublime and polite). I had the distinction of being the darling of all the permutations. Besides academics and professional relations each one of use was tied to each other through spatial, political, and ideological and food chain linkages. But these never affected the functioning of our joint family. 

Wahid Sahib played an effective role in enabling us to behave as responsible family members. He was a devout Muslim well rooted in the secular traditions of Kashmir. Though not as articulate as Professor Misri or as persuasive as Professor B.A.Khan but definitely very humble and down to the earth. The best time of our joint family used to be daily tea break between 01 and 02 PM where all members of the family would join to cherish the tea prepared by Ayub Khan Sahib (a tall Pathan with an ever smiling face). Our tea club was cited as a model across the departments.

It was professionally managed by us under the leadership of Professor B.A.Khan. We used to discuss academics (from Harvard to Hazratbal), politics (from UN to Sheer-Bakra fights at the Old Jamia Masjid), Sports (from Lords to Sharma Sahib’s card club) and weather (from arctic to the golden Chinar leaves). By the end of our tea session all debates would end with a big ha ha ha from Professor Misri and everybody refreshed. Our joint family used to welcome occasional visitors at tea time like very indomitable Professor Agha Ashraf, Professor Abdul Ahad Wani, Professor Rafeeqi and Professor Teng. I liked Professor Agha Ashraf the most. His scholarship was par- excellent. His command over the poetry of Ghalib, Mir, Iqbal and Faiz was fabulous.

Over the years my relations with Wahid Sahib blossomed into an informal bond with lot of elasticity. Always open to learn from each other. After my departure from the Kashmir University we could not meet frequently and had our own ways — Wahid Sahib becoming the part of 'establishment' (first as the Vice-chancellor of the Kashmir University and then as the first Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Kashmir) and I continued to live life in my 'anti-establishment' mold though at a different location and with new fellow travellers.  Even in this new habitat Wahid Sahib’s persona would always help me in being gentle and humane even to my staunch enemies. On my occasional visits to my Alma-Mater we used to rekindle our good old days’ reel and real life experiences.

Wahid Sahib I miss you. Forgive me for occasional disobedience. Rest in peace. I am sure your gentleness will also endear you to the people in the other world.

M S Bhatt , Former Professor of Economics, JMI, New Delhi.