Kashmir loses a medical stalwart

Ehsan Fazili

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Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 12

With the passing away of Dr Syed Naseer Ahmad Shah (pic), Kashmir has lost a stalwart of the medical community and one of the most well-known persons who have held the position of Principal, Government Medical College, Srinagar.

My first opportunity to meet Dr Naseer came over two decades ago after joining The Tribune in Srinagar. At the peak of militancy, when there were little means of transport and communication, I was to visit his residence at Kralasangri overlooking the Dal Lake to solicit his participation in a conference as a member of the PGI Board in Chandigarh. The letter by post via our head office in Chandigarh had been sent with instructions to me for getting his acknowledgement and consent for participation.

After over a decade of retirement from the medical college then, he would be available for patients from early mornings till 10.30 am, five days a week. I was advised to meet around this time and found him waiting at his clinic.

Before going through the contents of the letter, Dr Naseer was keen on enquiring about my identity. He asked me in a gentle tone, “Are you Manzoor’s son?” I replied in affirmative, which was responded with a smile. “Do you know your elder uncle Muzaffar (who lived in Pakistan)? “Yes Dr Sahib, he had visited in 1979-80,” said. Dr Naseer promptly replied, “We studied together in college.”

This little conversation was the beginning of a heartfelt relationship which continued over the years, including those when he had been nominated as a member of the State Legislative Council as an expert in his field. On many occasions, he would recall his college days in Srinagar and MBBS training in Lahore before Partition.