Abba’s Dedication to His Work, and the Gift of a Fine Suit
Published: April 12th, 2020
Provided Photograph: Dr. Mohammad Ali Matto’s work being acknowledged by his father-in-law, ...at the dedication of the first 500-Bed Maternity and Gynecology Hospital in Kashmir.
Map of the region of Kashmir, which spreads across parts of Pakistan, China and India.
During a 2019 trip to her native land, Dr. Nyla Ali Khan addressed students at institutions of higher education, including this crowd in Kashmir.
From left, Dr. Nyla Ali Khan with Gen. Rita Aragon (USAF-Ret.) at the Turkish Raindrop House in Oklahoma City. File Photo.
Nyla Ali Khan. Wikimedia Commons Photo. Women's Web
One of the proudest moments of my father’s life was the expansion of the 100-Bed Maternity and Gynecology Hospital to the 500-Bed Maternity and Gynecology Lal-Ded Hospital in Srinagar.
My father – whom I always called “Abba” – had poured his heart and soul into that project, the foundation stone of which was laid in 1979. My father and his wonderful colleagues burned midnight oil to enable the expansion, which greatly improved women’s health care at the time.
His joy knew no bounds when my maternal grandfather gifted him a pinstripe suit fabric at the inaugural ceremony of Lal-Ded Hospital in 1980.
Institutions are built by those who are invested in their people and passionate about nation building. They are communal property, and there comes a time when the community needs to refurbish them.
Editor’s Note: Srinagar is the largest city in the region of Kashmir now under the jurisdiction of India. Dr. Nyla Ali Khan’s article appear regularly in publications or online news organizations around the world, including in The City Sentinel and at CapitolBeatOK.com, a web-based news service working in Oklahoma City. This essay is adapted from a recent post on her Facebook page.