IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE OF MOHD ZAKARIA - MY PHYSICS TEACHER

On this second of June I spent a few hours in the city of Azamgarh (in Uttar Pradesh), where I spent the first nineteen years of my life. It was to renew old associations. During this trip, I also paid a brief visit to Shibli National College, from where I passed out in 1971. I had studied there for four consecutive years, having finishing my Intermediate and B.Sc.


I found that the college had grown beyond comprehension in terms of buildings etc. Teachers of my time had retired. It was holiday time and the new academic session was yet to start.  As a result, barring the main office, the college was more or less empty of people. The hurry and bustle associated with a running institution was not there. Yet, because of the fond association I had had with College teachers and Principal, I felt oneness with the entire campus.


By sheer luck, I met Mr Salman Sultan, who is now part of the Chemistry Department. He wasn’t there, when I was the student. But, I had a special reason to seek him out. He is the son of Mr Shauqat Sultan, the majestic Principal of my time. I could share with him some great memories of his illustrious father. The discussion obviously focussed on those teachers of my time, who left an impact on my life. One of these was Mohammad Zakaria Saheb of the Physics Department.


I had a rather prolonged association with him. Before joining the teaching faculty of Shibli National College, Zakaria Saheb, then just out of the University, had for one or two sessions taught at S K P Intermediate College, where my father was the Vice-Principal. I was studying in the seventh or the eighth grade in this college at this time. So, Zakaria Saheb taught me then. Further, he again taught me during my four years of study with Shibli National College.


There are some incidents from my B.Sc. days in Shibli National College that make my association with Zakaria Saheb all the more unique. Two of these stand out. Through-out my student days at Shibli College, I played Badminton at the college court. Off and on, Zakaria Saheb would also join me there. When I became senior, I was asked to captain the college team. It involved managerial responsibilities that would have required my presence at the court for two hours daily. A formal announcement about my captaincy was yet to come. One evening, it was well past seven. I was heading home after winding up the day’s play. Zakaria Saheb was also walking by. He spotted me from the other side of the road. He called me out from there. I went over to him. He cautioned me with these words, “It is good to play for relaxation. But, your pursuit should start and end there. Why are you getting involved with something that takes up so much time and energy? Think about it. Is it not going to affect your studies?” These words went straight to my heart. Without a whimper, I went to the games in-charge the next day and requested him to nominate someone else as the captain. Needless to mention, I saved much more time for studies, without having to compromise on my daily sports activity.


The second incident is also from my B.Sc. (Final) days. Practical Examination was on. I was required to do an experiment of optics, relating to fringes. I had set up everything and was halfway through. Suddenly, there was an inadvertent movement of the hand. The microscope, through which the fringes were being seen and readings were being taken, was pushed slightly aside. The field of view inside the micrscope shifted. With this shift, the fringes, with reference to which reading were being taken, disappeared. Four hours of diligent work was lost in an instant.


Just then, the external examiner arrived at my table. He was furious when he looked through the microscope and did not observe the optic fringes. Ignoring my explanation, he drew two conclusions. One, I just did not know how to do the experiment. Two, I had just copied from somewhere the readings, I claimed I had recorded. I tried to satisfy him. I immediately set up the experiment once again and began taking fresh readings. But, he did not relent and openly pronounced that he was going to fail me in the practical. This completely unnerved me.

Incidentally, Zakaria Saheb was the internal examiner. The moment he realized what was happening, he intervened. He clarified to the external examiner that I was no cheat, but one of the best students around. This was not all. Later on, when the external examiner was sitting inside the teachers’ cabin, Zakaria Saheb called me in. To convince this gentleman that I was a good student and I knew the subject, he conducted a prolonged oral test up on me. I fared well and gave correct answers. Yet, the external examiner remained adamant.


At the end of the day, when the practical got over, I had not had sufficient time to complete the experiment (that I had started only mid-way). I submitted incomplete reports. Naturally, I was not sure what marks I would secure from a hostile external examiner. As I left the laboratory, I met Zakaria Saheb. There were tears in my eyes. He could read my apprehension. He said, “Gaur! I am there. Don’t worry. Forget the practical. Go home and start preparing for the written examinations.”


The next day as I went to college, I learnt that I had got more than 60%. I was told by others how Zakaria Saheb (in his capacity as the internal examiner) had refused to countersign the marks list prepared by the external unless he gave me above 60% marks. I also came to hear that it had not been easy. The external had been quite arrogant. He had obliged only when Zakaria Saheb had threatened him that our college would ask the University to blacklist him for not paying heed to legitimate suggestions of the internal examiner.


To Zakaria Saheb, this must have been a matter of duty as a teacher – a hand of support required to be extended to a good student in the ordinary course of business. However, to me it was much more than that. It was a great teaching about standing up and taking cudgels for the right cause. I can never thank Zakaria Saheb enough.


Needless to say, I passed B.Sc. with flying colours. However, as I look back, this is a small achievement compared to what I learnt from Zakaria Saheb for the rest of my life. I can proudly say that through a career spanning more than 36 years in the Central Government, this trait of Zakaria Saheb has always been there with me, inspiring me to stand up for unfairly slighted or victimised juniors.


I salute Zakaria Saheb and bow down in reverence to him not just for the help he rendered to me but also for being the torch that has illumined my path for all these years.


Before parting, I am compelled to make one more point about Zakaria Saheb.


While at Azamgarh, I wanted to pay my respects to Zakaria Saheb. Neither I nor Salman Sultan Saheb had his telephone number or address. However, Salman Sultan Saheb very graciously reassured me that he would soon obtain and pass on Zakaria Saheb’s number to me.


Three days later, I got a very pleasant surprise in the form of an early morning phone call from Salman Sultan Saheb. He said that he was sitting with Zakaria Saheb at his residence and I could speak to him. After, 41 years, I heard the familiar voice of Zakaria Saheb. We had barely exchanged some pleasantries, when the connection was suddenly lost. I kept trying frantically for the next ten minutes to connect. But, in vain.


Later that afternoon, Salman Sultan Saheb called me again. It was to tell me as to what had transpired at Zakaria Saheb's residence. Zakaria Saheb had indicated to him that he was immersed in continuously calling out “ALLAH”; and, that he did not wish to have any conversation with the outside world. As such, Zakaria Saheb had not given his telephone number even to Salman Sultan Saheb.


Here I must mention that I met my spiritual Master in 1989. Through her Grace, I have been into spiritual life since then. I fully understand and appreciate that communion with the Almighty brings love for seclusion, where one is concerned with God alone. Any worldly matter is an avoidable distraction. No doubt Zakaria Saheb has reached such an exalted state. This makes Him all the more venerable in my eyes. My humble salutations to Him.


Each one of us, in his or her own unique way, is searching for the Truth. It begins in a search for knowledge of the objects in the mundane world. There, everything is relative. At a critical point, the focus of the search turns around. Instead of the outside world, it gets directed within, towards the Absolute.


It is wonderful that this search is bringing the ultimate fruit of seclusion in Zakaria Saheb’s life. It is my prayer that he reaches the Goal and is a beacon of Light that will continue guiding people in the science of Absolute.


This student of his is ever willing to learn from him. Salutations again.