What NED Means to Me: Riaz Haq
Posted by riaz_haq on August 20, 2007
In the run-up to the NEDians Convention 2007 on Sept 8 in San Jose, I have written a piece on “what NED means to me”.
I’d like to encourage all NEDians to capture their feelings on this subject in a couple of paragraphs and send in their thoughts either to the blog (as a comment or submission to be posted here on the blog) or via email.
Here’s my piece:
NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan, is my alma mater. “Alma mater” is Latin for “nourishing mother”, an apt description for the role NED played in my life. In addition to the mental nourishment I received from NED, which helped me grow up to become an independent learner and thinker, I also found inspiration from many “siblings”, who were the crème de la crème of Karachi students. People with the necessary credentials to be accepted into this great, highly selective, institution of higher learning. If the high selectivity of the admission process and the quality of alumni (the finished product) are the key measures of the high ranking of an academic institution, then NED definitely deserves to show up in the top rankings comparable to other great schools around the world.
Though NED lacked a lot of the outward symbols of greatness, such as a beautiful façade with ivy climbing up the walls, or nice facilities and equipment, it more than made up by the quality of the student body, inspirational teachers, long history and rich heritage. I learned a great deal from it. The friendly competition with my fellow students brought out the best in me and helped make me a highly competitive person. There were several faculty members who inspired me as well. In particular, I think of the late Professor Salahuddin who made himself available to help both on and off campus, and continued to stay in touch after graduation. He was among those who attended my wedding and those of my classmates, took us to dinner and remained a father figure to many of us. I’d also mention Prof Khalid Pervez who came to visit with me in the US and invited me to speak to NED students to share my work on microprocessor technology. Professor Mascarenhas remained in touch with me, asked me to teach a couple of classes and invited me as an external examiner. These are just a few of the names among the faculty that particularly impressed me. I also got to know some of the very successful alumni who worked at or owned various companies and found them to be very helpful in completing my senior project and in my job search. Prof Mascarenhas personally helped me by making the introductions.
While guidance from parents, your family, friends and formal education at any school set the stage, the real success in life ultimately depends on your own initiative, self-motivation and practical efforts. This was amply demonstrated as I went through graduate school and a successful career in the United States that has included two start-ups. NED, along with my family and friends, had prepared me well for real life.
The questions that now loom for many NEDians are as follows: How can we help NED deal with the challenges it faces today? In the world of Science and Technology education, the bar is constantly being raised. Can NED and NEDians rise to this challenge and enhance NED’s standing in the world? The NEDians Convention 2007 is an opportunity to talk about these issues and find the way forward.
Editor’s Note about the Author: Riaz Haq is President of the NED Alumni Association Silicon Valley, and Chair of the Steering committee for NEDians Convention 2007.
The upcoming Convention 2007 is an important litmus test of the willingness and capacity of the community of NEDians … Riaz, you have said it very well, I quote … “Can NED and NEDians rise to this challenge and enhance NED’s standing in the world? The NEDians Convention 2007 is an opportunity to talk about these issues and find the way forward. … Riaz Haq”
Dear President,
Well said! And very appropriate questions!
I am sure NEDians gathering on September 8 would have productive discussions around these themes.
Best,
C.
I have spent the last few days calling and inviting people from Convention-2007 across the US, Canada and even Pakistan. I have talked to alumni of 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and one of 2003. The names i spoke to include Akbar Younus Ansari, ex-President of NED Students Union, the person who led the caravan that one day moved old-campus to new campus in 1976; Firdaus Shamim who was also the President of NED Students Union and is so positive and spirited that in 5 minutes he can increase your energy level to new heights. We spoke for 10 minutes this morning as he talked about his vision for the future NED events; Mazhar Ali who played in so many TV dramas and is a fountain of pertinent poetry, he is our poet par excellence; Aftab Rizvi who is a debater par excellence and hosted so many TV programs and was also a Literary and Debating force of his time; Kamal Mehdi, who many may remember as Kamal Bhai, an amazing man who seems to have tireless energy and endless compassion for others -yes, I admit, he is my true mentor and the person i look up to; Ali Haider, the famous athlete who held the national record for high jump, he didnt do the Fosbury flop (you need to know the subtleties of High Junmping to appreciate that) but could still easily jump over 6 feet!
In talking to all of them and then assimilating those conversations I feel proud that I am an NEDian. A relatively humble small town kid who ended up in Karachi and had the opportunity to make acquaintance with these amazing people – NED’s alumni.
Safwan Saahab, shouldn’t that be a post in its own?
Nostalgia as a word is so cliche and yet most of us have eihter lost (due to our cynicism, a function of age) or never experienced the true feelings, nay sensations that true nostaliga brings about. Goose bumps you get just thinking about writing something about NED, the sparkle that animates the conversation as soon as you find out that a total stranger is an NEDian, they tell you the power and influene that institution still holds on our senses. The times that we spent in the corridors of the campus and in the common room and in the canteen and in the plaza and in the auditorium (forget the classes and the labs) comprise some of the fondest as well as most profound memories of our lives. True we learnt a little engineering as well but that was almost like a side dish, served free with the main entree and there was an entire buffet of entrees. NED taught us how to figure out what life is really all about and gave us the confidence to seek out as rightfully ours whatever dreams and aspirations we might have.
I am sure a lot of you will share my feelings that it is after a very long time that I feel so excited about attending an event and the time that we will get to spend in the company of fellow NEDians.
Amir, would you consider expanding that comment into a full post? Or we could reproduce it as a post as it is?
I second Sabahat’s request ….
Amir Ul-Islam should make his post into an article …
Now that we are talking about Amir. He is another grand NEDian. A year junior to me. A brilliant student. Extremely well spoken and well read in Urdu and English prose and poetry. He was one of finest debaters i have had the opportunity to hear and share the podium with. He became the Literary and Debating Secretary in the NED Students Union – actually he was the last LDS because unions were banned (yes banned) by the military regime in February 1985.
Amir and I have remained in occasional touch over the last 20+ years. His degree portfolio now includes a Masters as well as an MBA. Amir’s company ‘Jersey Precast’ is a Platinum Sponsor for Convention-2007. I had the opportunity to visit his plant in New Jersey and was awed by the size and scale of his operations.