One of the first things I saw this morning, was a photograph that mother shared with me – a photograph of my grandfathers Certificate from TATA Engineering Division Jamshedpur, Ret. Mohammad Ismail, who had worked at JKSRTC (Jammu & Kashmir) many decades ago.
My maternal grandfather, Mohammad Ismail, fondly called by his co-workers and juniors as “Ismail the Diesel Man“: was the first Diesel engineer in our family. He hailed from a Dalgate area of Srinagar, Jammu & kashmir who struggled and studied under the street light during his early years back then in early 1940’s when poverty lead Kashmir was struggling due to the agast of India-Pakistan Partition (and for which he was famously addicted to Kashmiri salt tea as a result of this).
When he started to work as a Junior Mechanic. He scaled at JKSTRC and reached out to become Works Manager eventually retiring as Deputy Director, as well teaching and consulting at National Institute of Technology and was the first (Kashmiri-Muslim) faculty member recruited by NIT.
He helped set up the entire department for Automobile Engineering, specialisation of Diesel Engines. He was the only Kashmiri Muslim at that time who was consulting the department in the early years of formation. He was the recipient of the first Kashmiri who joined the TATA Group of Diesel Engineering and Locomotive for Repair, Service and Maintenance of TATA Diesel Engines which were being used by Indian Army, State & Local Transportation system.
His professional accomplishments came to my knowledge only during my own professional career, from his senior colleagues in the JKSRTC who had been his students & junior engineers. They talked about how they were scared of getting questioned by him “man in the blue shirt with a hanging pen in his breast pocket”. As said by many of his colleges it was very difficult of them to understand how a man, can actually know where the problem lies by just listening to the noise of the Diesel Engines.
So they ensured that they were regular with their work for the projects he was leading and one of the known projects was Introduction of Ashok Leyland Trucks backed for State Road & Transportation Department of National Conference Led-State Government and funded Hinduja Group & National Congress Government.
Mohammad Ismail, to me, of course, was nothing but my grandfather. I remember the long walks I took with him on the banks of Dalgate, heavy spot for National and International tourists in Srinagar, Kashmir. Stories from his days as a Part Time- Passionate Golfer, Playing with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Former Chief Minister of J&K Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Former General of BSF VK Peter and many more, which would trigger yet another story continued with the long road. Interesting personal moral value practices that he followed and taught me was eating healthy and natural. The daily Nimaaz that he performed, reciting Quran Daily, gave us the assembles to be modest, because bowing down to creator was the only irreplaceable job we cannot miss. The respect and kindness that he demonstrated towards the guards and the drivers who were appointed to serve him. Despite all the respect his humility and humble character was something i always looked at.
What i reflected today, with reverence, on all that I learnt from him, and my grandmother, with whom I spent long periods of time in early childhood and of course, my parents, who were my first set of teachers in life:
My grandfather –
- Make improvements, not excuses. Seek respect, not attention.
- Be honest, kind and gentle & especially people who are weaker than you.
- Pursue a profession in an area of your interest, what you’re good at, maybe even a hobby.
- A fool tries to outshine the sun; the wise gets closer to the sun and learns the art of shining.
My grandmother –
- Value moral education over everything else in the world
- Smile. Be positive. Things come and Things go
- Tolerate people and situations. Learn from the worst of your time
My father –
- Struggle is always better than the Comfort.
- Hard work never kills.
- Experiment constantly, understand the why’s and the wherefores.
- Learn continuously, especially skills. Learn something new each day.
My mother –
- Discover your interests and passions. You never know where life takes a turn
- Practice, practice, practice till you become perfect
- Carve your own path, not necessarily what others push you towards.
- Stay humble, have a little patience and don’t give up. Sometimes greater things is a slow process
- The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him.
As a technology professional, an entrepreneur, and a person passionate about mentoring, I appreciate all aspects of the teaching and learning spectrum. Because nothing goes in vain!
“As wisdom cannot be imparted. Wisdom that a wise man attempts to impart always sounds like foolishness to someone else. Knowledge can be communicated, but not wisdom. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate and teach it”
I bow my head to all teachers, mentors, family members today and everyday! Who have inspired me to do great things everyday for not just myself for people around as well, because learn and forward it to those who need it.
The loftiest in status are those who do not know their own status, and the most virtuous of them are those who do not know their own virtue. – Prophet Muhammad PBUH
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