We wanted Abdul Khaliq to go to school . We wanted him to go the the same school I had gone to. To the government high school that was taught in English. But the headmaster said no. He said there was no room. We decided to take our case to the Secretary of Education, because you […]
Tag Archives: family
What Forman Did For Him
Sun, 26 Feb 2012, 10:15 PM (-06:00)
1. Crossing the Border So my father decided to leave Aligarh Muslim University to study at Forman Christian College. Forman sent a him a permit that would get him across the border. “Without that, I couldn’t go,” he said. “Indian muslims were no longer allowed to cross into Pakistan.” 2. What Forman Paid He was there for […]
The Agha Khan
Sun, 26 Feb 2012, 09:53 PM (-06:00)
In his fifth and sixth years at Aligarh, my father worked on his master’s degree. After that, you could do research, but it took years to get a doctorate. My dad wanted a doctorate. Sometime near the end of his sixth year, he was offered a scholarship to study at Forman Christian College in Lahore. […]
Mumtaz Annexi
Sat, 25 Feb 2012, 09:26 PM (-06:00)
There were 10,000 students at Aligarh Muslim University when my father started there. It was the only Muslim college in India. His first year there, the dorm was full, and he stayed in Mumtaz Annexi. (I wonder if that’s Google calls Mumtaz House, today.) The students in the annex were evidently packed several students to a […]
Knowing the Answers
Sat, 25 Feb 2012, 08:55 PM (-06:00)
1. Black Hat Colonel Heather taught chemistry at Aligarh Muslim University. My father sat in the front row when classes began. “He used to call on me,” my father said. “Even back then,” he said, “there were people who were envious if you were smart, if you knew the answers. (I think you have this now.)” And […]
From Khanpur to Aligarh
Sat, 25 Feb 2012, 08:28 PM (-06:00)
They started the academic year in Khanpur in June. My father had left his family village and was there on a scholarship, but they only had liberal arts and no sciences. He wanted to study science. Some fellow students told him about Aligarh. They said he should go there and study science. And Aligarh started […]
My Father’s Brother
Fri, 24 Feb 2012, 07:38 AM (-06:00)
My father was sitting on the couch. I was sitting across from him. Trudy was sitting next to me. Khadija was sitting on a chair nearby. “My younger brother was smarter,” he said. I have heard him say this before. Although I don’t know anything about his brother, I’ve heard my dad talk like this […]
What My Mother Said
Thu, 23 Feb 2012, 05:45 PM (-06:00)
My mother came to town. One day we went to a sandwich shop to get some lunch. It was busy, and there was no clear path to the spot where you order. “Excuse me,” I said as I squeezed around a woman standing next to a chair. I walked quickly by and got in line, […]
What My Brother Said
Thu, 23 Feb 2012, 05:39 PM (-06:00)
My brother came to town. On Sunday, half-way thru the day, he looked at me and asked, “Is this what your Sundays are usually like?” “Yes,” I said. Either he was envious at our slow pace of living and the amount of time we spend working in the yard. Or he was horrified.
The Last Morning
Mon, 20 Feb 2012, 08:50 PM (-06:00)
1. Leaving for the Airport We suggested that it made sense for us to take a taxi to the airport in the morning. Our flight was to leave at 6:00am, and (doing the math) that meant leaving for the airport at 3:30am. Why get up and drive us, when we can just call a taxi? They […]