| It was rainy season in the month of September | | | | rare and lesser known subject called Geology, |
| in the year 1963 in a hospital in the city of | | | | about which I knew nothing. My parents were |
| Hyderabad where a new-born baby was the | | | | now almost certain that I was a nincompoop. |
| cynosure of all eyes. The parents were full | | | | However my life turned from this point of |
| of ecstasy for their first child was | | | | time and surprisingly I started taking |
| born..... that was me! My father, Late Mr | | | | exceptional interest in studies so much so |
| Awaz Sayeed, worked for a public sector | | | | that I passed my graduation as a top ranker |
| undertaking as an administrative assistant | | | | in my college and also scored the first rank |
| till he retired in 1982 as a gazetted | | | | in the entire university in the entrance test |
| officer. His life was a transition from great | | | | for securing admission into the Masters. My |
| opulence to wanton struggle. Born to a Yemeni | | | | penchant for studies saw me emerge as the |
| father who was the Chief Treasurer of the | | | | brightest student of Osmania University in |
| King of a small Principality called Mukkalah | | | | the field of geology which won me a gold |
| in Yemen, my father was the youngest of his 5 | | | | medal in the Masters. Thereafter, I received |
| brothers and 4 sisters. A reckless wastage of | | | | scholarship from the Council of Scientific |
| wealth by some of his elder brothers forced | | | | and Industrial Research (CSIR), a premier |
| him to join government service at a tender | | | | organisation for science and research in |
| age. He took up short story writing in Urdu | | | | India, again after securing exceptionally |
| at a young age and earned great fame in life. | | | | good marks in their qualifying test. This |
| Being scholarly and intellectual he used to | | | | enabled me to register myself as a research |
| involve his two children --- me and my | | | | fellow in the Osmania University in |
| younger sister, in his literary activities. | | | | Hyderabad. |
| Any new story written is first narrated to us | | | | |
| before it is finalised for publishing or | | | | It is at this point of time that one of my |
| narration on the All India Radio. His | | | | professors called me and advised that I |
| commitment to story-writing was so great that | | | | should look beyond my normal career options |
| other aspects of life like monitoring the | | | | and make a go at the Civil Services |
| children and disciplining them was of lesser | | | | examination, which is one of the toughest |
| importance to him. That is where our mother | | | | competitive examinations in India for entry |
| filled the gap and took exceptional pains for | | | | into different prestigious services in the |
| our education and brought up. Being the | | | | government. I took his suggestion to my heart |
| daughter of a Sessions Judge, she realized | | | | and started very serious preparations, |
| the importance of giving proper education to | | | | working almost 12-15 hours a day for nearly |
| her children and convinced my father to put | | | | an year. It was a phase when the thought of |
| us in a good missionary school, the St. | | | | getting into Civil Services used to linger in |
| George's Grammar School in Hyderabad. | | | | my mind day in and day out. I was obsessed by |
| | | | this ambition. Even when I was with my |
| I had already studied up to the fifth | | | | friends or relatives I used to think and plan |
| standard in an obscure school, called the | | | | about the exam while making it appear to them |
| Jawahar Upper Primary School in Hyderabad, | | | | that I am happily conversing with them on |
| which contributed in nothing except bringing | | | | subjects of their interest. My efforts paid |
| to prominence the hidden negative traits in | | | | off when I got selected for the Civil |
| my personality.... perhaps the influence of | | | | Services examination in 1988 and joined the |
| the locality Mallepally. The transition from | | | | service in August 1989. |
| a purely ordinary school to a missionary | | | | |
| school was not a smooth one for me and very | | | | While preparing in my subject, geology, for |
| soon I became one of the most prominent | | | | the Civil Services examination I had faced |
| back-benchers of my class. My favourite | | | | certain difficulties like paucity of good |
| avocation was to bunk classes and go to | | | | reading material, lack of awareness of the |
| theaters on the Abids Road and watch movies | | | | examination pattern, etc since the university |
| while still in 6th or 7th class with a blithe | | | | professors were not fully conversant with the |
| lack of concern for academics. I had to | | | | pattern of competitive examinations and were |
| ingenuously tamper my score cards every | | | | unable to guide me properly. This prompted me |
| semester to save myself from the wrath of my | | | | to write a book entitled 'Trends in Objective |
| parents for scoring outrageously low marks. I | | | | Geology for Civil Serivces' for students like |
| remember the incident when I had scored 2 out | | | | me who aspire to become civil servants. This |
| of 200 marks in mathematics and when I took | | | | book is now in its 8th year of publication |
| the courage in asking my teacher why he has | | | | and is one of the most popular books for the |
| given no marks for practical geometry in | | | | geology students. |
| which I thought that I had constructed | | | | |
| circles, triangles, etc, he had looked at my | | | | Joining a prestigious service, like the |
| shabby work and remarked " Is this | | | | Indian Foreign Service, did not deter me from |
| construction or destruction?". | | | | continuing my studies. I continued with my |
| | | | research work, which was half completed when |
| When I reached the tenth grade, much to the | | | | I joined the service, and finally obtained a |
| anguish of my parents, I decided to leave the | | | | Doctorate in Philosophy in 1992. This |
| school and appear for the SSC examination as | | | | immensely enhanced the levels of my academic |
| a private student, as I perceived it to be a | | | | satisfaction. I am a firm believer in the |
| much simpler education pattern than the ICSE. | | | | concept that a man learns at every stage of |
| I got through with reasonably good marks... | | | | life and should therefore never be |
| but definitely not the first division... and | | | | complacent. |
| secured admission in a neighbourhood college, | | | | |
| the Anwar-Ul-Uloom Degree College, in | | | | After a rather long probation period lasting |
| Intermediate (10+2) with Biology, Physics and | | | | for about two years during which I was |
| Chemistry as my optional subjects. | | | | exposed to various facets of diplomatic and |
| | | | office work in India, I was sent to Egypt in |
| When I completed my Intermediate with first | | | | 1991 as a language trainee to learn Arabic |
| division in 1982, my parents wanted me to | | | | and familiarize myself with all aspects of |
| take the MBBS entrance test, as was, and | | | | work in diplomatic missions abroad. I studied |
| still is, the most popular trend among all | | | | in the American University in Cairo for three |
| science students in India. I declined to | | | | semesters and picked up the Arabic language |
| oblige them, for I was not interested in | | | | to the best of my abilities. After two |
| becoming a doctor. In fact, I was not sure | | | | memorable years in Egypt during which I |
| what I wanted to do.... probably a typical | | | | extensively travelled and explored this |
| characteristic of the present-day youth. My | | | | ancient country, I was posted as the Regional |
| parents were heart-broken and completely gave | | | | Passport Officer in my home city of Hyderabad |
| up on me and owed to make my sister a doctor. | | | | in India in May 1993. It was a challenging |
| My sister, Seema Nishat, who was a brilliant | | | | job which required me to meet between |
| student right through, always used to add | | | | 500-1000 people a day and try and solve their |
| feathers of academic accomplishment in her | | | | problems. I tried to devote my time to |
| cap and getting admission into MBBS was only | | | | simplify procedures and make life easier for |
| a matter of routine for her. I vividly | | | | the common man unmindful of the stiff |
| remember the announcements made on the annual | | | | resistance from vested interests in different |
| day celebrations of the St. George's Grammar | | | | quarters and the consequent personal |
| School (Girls Section) during the price | | | | inconveniences that I had to bear, which are |
| distribution ceremonies year after year " | | | | best left un-described here. |
| first in class, first in maths, first in | | | | |
| science, first in english.... Miss Seema | | | | I joined the Consulate General of India, |
| Nishat"... and amidst thunderous applause my | | | | Jeddah in January 1995 as Consul (Haj) and |
| sister would go and receive all those | | | | spent one year in ameliorating the hardship |
| tropies, barely managing to hold them | | | | of 60,000 odd pilgrims from India who came to |
| together. I definitely thought that she is a | | | | Saudi Arabia for performing the pilgrimage. |
| nut ! She is at the moment a successful | | | | Thereafter, in March 1996, I was deployed |
| practising doctor residing in Tampa in the | | | | with the Embassy of India, Riyadh as First |
| United States with her husband Dr Wajahat Ali | | | | Secretary (Economic and Commercial), an |
| and three children. | | | | assignment which I would not forget for |
| | | | providing me with lot of challenges and for |
| Coming back to me.... after declining to | | | | enabling me to contribute my mite for giving |
| appear for MBBS entrance, I took a passion | | | | a visible thrust to the vibrant Indo-Saudi |
| for writing articles on topics of science | | | | bilateral economic and trade relations. This |
| which were published in many students' | | | | was followed by my posting to the Embassy of |
| magazines. Being, least interested in sports, | | | | India, Doha, Qatar as a First Secretary |
| I used to utilize my spare time in acquiring | | | | Counsellor (Commercial). After completion of |
| technical skills like typing, shorthand, | | | | 17 years of diplomatic service, I am now |
| telex, etc. In fact, I had obtained a Higher | | | | working as Consul General of India in Jeddah |
| Technical Degree in Typing and a Lower | | | | . I have three smart sons, Faateh aged 15 |
| Technical Degree in Short Hand! My short-hand | | | | years and Faaleh, aged 11 years and Azhaan |
| instructor's dream was to make a first grade | | | | aged 8 years. I am fortunate to have a good, |
| steno!! | | | | caring and loving wife Farha, who is an egg |
| | | | artist and a painter. This sums up in a nut |
| Then I decided to join graduation in the PG | | | | shell my journey from childhood to adulthood |
| College of Science, Saifabad taking a rather | | | | and to a career as a diplomat! |