By TCN News
Srinagar: Ghulam Haider Lone, who lives in a village in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, started losing sleep after his son’s senior secondary results came out. Ghulam couldn’t financially fulfil his son’s dream of becoming an engineer anymore and his son had given up the dream after his father’s diagnosis of a disc problem.
But destiny had something else in store for the Lone Family. Haider’s son Muzaffar Lone applied for a scholarship in January 2015 which was offered by US-based Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC). In response to the recent floods in Kashmir, IMRC wanted to give a gift back to the needy in Kashmir beyond relief supplies. Muzaffar, along with eight other students, was selected for the scholarships and awarded a course in engineering at the Jahangirabad Institute of Technology (JIT) near Lucknow.
JIT began with a group of NRIs residing in the US that wanted to give back to their community by providing educational assistance for minorities in India. JIT’s vision is to promote higher education with leadership skills, thus, lead students to become self-sufficient, and be able to give back to their community.
The scholarship was just the beginning of celebrating in Muzaffar’s family. He is also the first person from his entire village to study engineering. His father expressed happiness and said, “I was initially working as labourer but after doctors diagnosed me with disc problem I was strictly advised not to work which was a huge setback for my children’s education. I had no hope that my son’s dream of becoming an engineer could ever turn into a reality but it was like a miracle. After my son was selected for scholarship, he is now first person from our village who to study engineering.”
Muzaffar is presently studying Mechanical Engineering in JIT Lucknow and has already taken his first semester exams.
“Life is quite different here what I had imagined back in my village. Studying here at JIT has given me a lot of exposure and accordingly I am planning for achieving big in my life,” said Muzaffar. Another scholarship student is Danish Ahmad from village Gundi-Dalwash of Baramulla. He’s now studying Civil Engineering at JIT with IMRC’s help.
Danish shares, “My father is working as a labourer and earns Rs 5,000 a month, with which has to feed seven members of our family including expenses for my disabled brother. It was difficult for me to continue to study if IMRC hadn’t stepped in to sponsor my education.”
Manzoor Ghori, Executive Director of Indian Muslim Relief and Charities (IMRC) said, “We have been sponsoring and giving scholarships to students in various parts of India who come from poor backgrounds and do not have the opportunity for higher education. With the access to quality education and support they can continue their studies, secure their goals and improve not only their livelihoods, but their family and community.”
Meanwhile IMRC in September 2015 started the process of assisting 1,400 flood affected students of Kashmir valley. So far, half of the students have received assistance. IMRC’s first project was to assist orphan and destitute children and continues to do so. 2016 marks IMRC’s 35th Anniversary.