BY DR. HINA SHAFI BHAT
Today I fondly remember the days,
When you held my hand and taught me to succeed in different ways.
You ensured that I work towards getting myself educated,
So that no one can ever conquer my fearless self, nor should I ever have to be vindicated.
To me, you were my inspiration and drive,
Who always pushed me to be independent, confident, knowledgeable and empathetic so that I could thrive.
The wonderful son, incredible brother, loving husband & adorable father that you were,
Makes me remember you dotingly with love & respect and not in despair.
To me, you were my only mentor, friend, philosopher & guide,
And till today, I am being propelled forward with your inspiration towards my goal of serving humanity with pride.
An ode from a daughter who remembers you with love, respect & pride of being your daughter.
On the occasion of the 6th death anniversary of my father Late Mohammed Shafi Bhat, I would like to draw attention to the fact that my role model, my dear father was not only a pious family man but was also a very able administrator, who sowed the seeds of hard work, determination and love for humanity in me from my childhood.
Yes, today I miss him, but it has been the strength of his learnings that has helped me shape into the leader that I am today while I serve in the role of the Vice Chairperson of J&K Khadi & Village Industries Department.
Late Mohammed Shafi Bhat was an eminent personality in the domain of law. His years of service as Jt. Secretary, J&K High Court Bar Association in 1987 & 1988 were the formative years of law & justice in J&K. He also served as the General Secretary for two consecutive terms and went on to become the President of the Bar Association in 1989.
These years were a great learning phase for young lawyers under the guidance of my father. Having served as a Public Prosecutor for 10 years, he was well poised to take the justice system of J&K to newer heights of glory. Some of his other administrative laurels were established when he served in some prestigious positions.
To name a few, he served as the President of the State Central Labour Union and State Organisation of Labour for five successful years. He also served as an Advisor in Jammu & Kashmir Fisheries for a year and was the much-trusted Legal Advisor to J&K Works Department and Srinagar Municipality for five and six years respectively. He also served as a member of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Commerce & Tourism in 1990.
All these roles played by him were only making the foundation of his special interest in Labour laws and Labour Welfare Activities stronger. He undertook various social activities and played a pivotal role during his tenure in Home Guard wherein he actively participated in the flood relief camps and flood relief activities in the Kashmir Valley. All these accomplishments helped him garner a lot of adulation from the people of J&K who then elected him to the Lok Sabha.
Being a lawyer by education & profession, he had a strong sense of what is right, and it was his righteous nature that helped us as a family see, learn, and imbibe all the values of standing up for justice and fighting against anything unjust or unfair.
I still vividly remember the days when we would discuss for hours together thinking about the various initiatives that could be undertaken for the welfare of the people of J&K who worked hard and just wanted a simple life with a steady profession.
Your ideas were thought-provoking when it came to the welfare of the Kashmiri youth & professionals and molded me into the person that I am today marching forward with the ideology of “One Nation, One Voice”. He was in the truest sense a leader who strived for the betterment of his people.
Therefore, I would like to conclude by saying this about my father – Late Mohammed Shafi Bhat.
As my father, perfection is what you aimed for. You ensured that you educated me and never ever made me feel any less because I am a daughter.
You never let the shadow of age-old beliefs impact me in any way, but you always strived towards the fact that I should be well educated so that I can profess self-love and exude confidence rather than having to wait for my wedding to happen to be able to realize my worth as somebody’s spouse.
Thank you, dad, for making me this strong and for being my hero. I just wish, every daughter of India is blessed with a father like you. I love you, Dad
(Dr. Hina Shafi Bhat is a BJP leader and currently the Vice Chairperson of J&K Khadi & Village Industries Board. She has also previously served as Chairperson of KVIC (North Zone), Govt of India.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.