Remembering Dr Syed Kalbe Sadiq: The Miracle Man Of Education

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Dr Syed Kalbe Sadiq (June 22, 1939- November 24, 2020).

By Haider Abbas

Handsome is one who handsome does. This self righteous axiom is an apt synonym, and surmounts every bit of it, when it comes to Dr. Syed Kalbe Sadiq, whose 'remembrance day' falls on November 24, when he had left us in 2020.
But, not before leaving his enduring legacy, an indelible mark, on the landscape of Lucknow, particularly for his never ending, tireless efforts towards educational emancipation of community.

His zest and zeal to uplift the 'tottering masses', from the abyss of absolute morass, yes, I am not being isolationist, the situation was even more grimy and grave, that it was only he who rose-up to the occasion, took up the gauntlet, to seek for the participation of community, in terms of the upscale ladder of human development index. His efforts did bear fruition; he bludgeoned his energies into Tauheedul Muslimeen Trust (TMT), a non-profit charitable trust, for four decades, as a mother-organization, and soon, Unity College, came into being. TMT, is where Muslims from any denomination, and non-Muslims too, have been getting scholarships, financial, economic and medical aid etc.

Unity College is an ICSE affiliated Intermediate college. It is nestled between the great Chota Imambara and the picturesque Jama Masjid, once built by King Muhammed Ali Shah.
These great imposing structures, inculcate a historical sense of history, into the futuristic minds.
Dr. Syed Kalbe Sadiq's greatest forte is Madinataul Uloom College, affiliated to the same board in Aligarh.
It is here that he articulated his long time occidentalism, taking a kinetic shape into orientalism. A house for dynamic 'chiseled in bronze' leadership of the community was thus cast. Students from MU College, within a matter of time, have attained great heights as scholars, professors etc. Even as Member of Assembly (MLA) and as Member of Parliament (MP) too. Flag bearers of Islamism and humanism are they all.

What matters as more than a miracle, in fact, has truly been actualized by Dr. Syed Kalbe Sadiq, who took 11 children, who were not even able to scribble their names, their parents in abject poverty, in 1999, into his fervent embrace, and strived to provide them for all the 'school and medical' needs, even conveyance, and today, it has a strength of more than 1500 students! TMT is running a Unity Public School in Allahabad as well. Hazrat Imam Zainul Abideen (HIZA) Charitable Hospital and a Unity Private ITI in Lucknow. All of his endeavors are based in UP. His TMT patronizes ERAS Medical College, now a University, as a state-of-art medical education center, a number-one premier institute, of its kind,
in the whole of UP. If, Dr. Syed Kalbe Sadiq, had a cult of aura spelt around him, it was therefore, all not without a reason, for having splattered such gems into the society.

Yours truly also had a long rendezvous with him. Travelled with him. I always found him a living example of being an 'anti-classist and a cheerful aesthetic', very conscious of the exigencies of time, always presentable with an idealized charm, to bring back optimism despite the worst hours, as his persona had endured everything after 1947. Partition, communal riots, sectarian riots, politics of majoritarianism, and whatnot. He was a post-facto insider, who assiduously pursued his 'line-of-action', that it is only through quality-education, where-in lies the key for deliverance. He was born on June 22, 1939.

But, the deliverance, however, has been found napping, as probably more than a million, who have benefitted from TMT, have never reciprocated, forget in the same evaluative terms, but even in the minimal sense of the word. Notwithstanding, the tens of crores, disbursed in the last 40 years.

Undeterred and despite the stalemate, Dr. Syed Kalbe Sadiq, served his framework, tallying up a score-card, appropriate enough to make him stand much higher, amongst the community leaders, who were of course more than often engaged in unnecessary bowdlerisation of self gratification. He ambled over 'all' and breasted the tape, leaving them far behind. He tried his best to stop the pervasive and systematic decimation of the community, from both within and outside, with all his inexhaustible energy. He was a performative example unto himself, who always welcomed brickbats and finally walked back with bouquets.

He was always ready with a plausible hearing, showed space to even lumpens, never ascribed to authoritarianism, despite having, having it on his sleeve, yet, was
an absolute devotee to personal freedom. This personal trait is what made him win over friends, enemies and frenemies as well.
He was brilliant in his disquisitions, charted in traditional Urdu, laced with distinctive English et all, made him what all he stood for. He did not wail like a dewy eyed nostalgic, but exhorted the generations to become actual participants in the starry wattage of our times. He did not yield a magic wand, but gave a long standing message, that perseverance to the stage until perspiration, in efforts are the only hallmarks for long time successes.

This writer also did sit by his bedside when he was ailing at ERAS.
He remained Vice President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, the apex Muslim body in the nation, all his life.

Long Live his call for education.

• The writer is a former UP State Information Commissioner

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