Kupwara: Azad Ahmad Sheikh, 27, resident of Sheikh Mohalla Kawari, some 12 kilometers away from main town Kupwara district of north Kashmir, is a specially-abled person. Unable to walk on his feet, he uses paws and knees to make movement.
Azad started his education at the age of 13 and qualified his intermediate class in 2016 with average percentage. He also holds one year diploma in computer and is currently pursuing ITI in computer hardware.
The young boy, who believes in never giving up, is also bestowed with a beautiful voice. He was awarded Rs 3000 and a certificate of appreciation for best mimicry. Besides, he is known for his commentary during sports matches.
His parents Subhan Sheikh, 85, and Taja Begum, 78, have become extremely weak and hardly move from their room.
“Even though I’m handicapped, I have never depended upon anyone,” Azad said. “All my life, I never received any relief or concession in school fees.”
Unable to handle the load of any object, Azad started selling newspapers on a four-wheeler scooty during the 2016 agitation to earn the livelihood. “For me, it is a good job and I’m able to fulfill the financial needs of my family,” he said.
“When I joined school, my sister Naseema used to carry me on her back, many a times she used to slip and get hurt,” Azad said. “Before her marriage, Naseema was everything for me.”
“Sometimes, my mother carried me on her back to school or hospital,” Azad told INS. “My family is my backbone and my hope. They left no stone unturned to educate me. I’m indebted to them.”
When Azad was in 6th class, he got the wheelchair from the social welfare department as he had to travel about 2 kilometers daily to school.
“I had to travel a long distance. First, I thank Almighty Allah and then my classmates who used to push my wheelchair to school from home. I’m very thankful to them.”
But not everybody was the same. Azad said there have been some incidents that left him broken and many times provoked him to end his life. It was when some schoolmates used to make fun of him.
“I can never forget the day I joined the winter tuition at Kehkeshan Coaching Centre for 11th class. Some boys and girls laughed at me. I was pursuing education to help my poor family and those people laughed at me. That moment, I abhorred and cursed myself for being handicapped,” Azad recalls.
“Once while appearing for my annual examination in Girls Hr. Secondary School Trehgam, I had to cover about just 16 to 17 steps to enter into the classroom but was unable to do so. My question paper was waiting for me but I was waiting for somebody to help. Much to my shock and lament, no one turned up. Everybody enjoyed the scene seeing me struggling and crying. Such horrible scene was that I was drenched in both shame and helplessness. I found only God beside me and somehow I made it to my bench.”
One more “heart-wrenching” anecdote by Azad: “It was during the school excursion to Manasbal in 10th class. Every face was smiling with joy, everybody busy exploring the natural beauty; it was only this ‘Azad’ sitting back in the bus for the whole day. The only thing left for me was to wait for the sunset.”
Subhan Sheikh while talking to INS was all praise for his son. “Despite the bone chilling cold, he (Azad) leaves home early in the morning to sell newspapers just to feed us. We are totally dependent upon him.”
Mother Taja Begum couldn’t stop her tears when she started talking to this correspondent. “We always struggled to give him a better life. Now we are old. It is Azad who looks after us and feeds us. He makes every possible effort to keep us happy.”
“We are proud of our son no matter what his condition is, our son is our world,” the parents described him. “For us, he is not handicapped but Azad (meaning Independent)”.
