Pt. Jia Lal Kaul was an
outstanding teacher
Jia Lal Koul Nazir was born at
Zainakadal in 1897. His father
Pt.
Rishi Kaul was a petty landowner
in Sebdan, a village close
to Srinagar. The Jagir was too
small to take care of the family
consisting of seven members.
The mantle of supplementing
meagre family income fell on Jia
Lal Koul, who was the eldest
among four sons and a daughter.
He had sharp intellect, and
excellent communicating skills.
He became popular among
students and would get many
offers to coach his juniors as
well
as peers. Income generated from
tuitions helped Jia Lal to take
care of his education as well as
that of his siblings.
Jia Lal was a precocious
student,
brilliant at studies, a
well-disciplined
student and good at
extra-curricular activities. He
had
strong instincts to master
languages
and loved to read literature
even when he was in his
teens. Writing prose and
composing
poetry was a passion
with him. His name de plume was
'Nazir'.
His personality and amiable
nature endeared him to teachers
in school as well as in College.
After passing his graduation
from S.P. College, Srinagar in
1916 Jia Lal went to NWFP to
serve as a senior teacher in a
private school at Hotimardan.
Impressed by his teaching and
administrative capabilities Jia
Lal
was deputed by the school
management
to Lahore to take degree
in B.T. from Punjab University.
He served Hotimardan school
for 4-5 years and had also a
stint
as its Headmaster. Family
compulsions
forced Jia Lal to bid
adieu to a satisfying and
wellpaid
job. At Srinagar he was
appointed as TGT by the State
Education Department. Soon his
commitment to teaching
profession and reputation as a
conscientious teacher spread far
and wide. This brought him to
the notice of his superiors-
Headmaster, Inspector and
Director. He would be assigned
higher responsibilities and
roles
in the department than his rank
would otherwise warrant.
In late 1920s Jia Lal was
posted to Kishtwar as Head
Master of local Government
Middle School. He introduced in
his school the novel concept of
Basic Educationist as
propounded by Dr. Zakir
Hussain, then an eminent
education and later President of
India. Under this scheme he made
arrangements to teach the
famous weaving craft of the
place-Kishtwar wollen blankets
to senior outgoing students. At
the same time the local artisans
were taught how to read and
write, providing trade-skills to
the educated and literary gains
to the otherwise illiterate
artisans.
This drew the ire of the
short-sighted higher-ups in the
department. The Director served
him a stern warning, claiming
that 'teaching hours' were
wasted.
Renowned Educationist KG
Saidain was appointed Director
of Education by J&K Government
in 1937. He implemented the
Basic Education Scheme in the
state. To this end a Teachers
Training school was set up in
Srinagar. For running this novel
educational institute special
staff was required. Hundreds of
senior trained teachers,
Headmasters
and Inspectors were
called for interview. Jia Lal
Koul
Nazir too had been called. When
the Chairman of Selection Board,
the Director of Education asked
him to submit testimonials to
justify his claim for the post.
The
members of the Board were a
little
amused when Pt. Jia Lal produced
warning issued by the
then Director of Education for
introduction of Dr. Zakir
Hussain's scheme. On perusal of
the warning Mr. KG Saidain was
taken aback and subjected him
to a volley of questions to test
his competence. Jia Lal Nazir
was chosen for the post of
Supervisor
of Teaching-cum-Superintendent
Jia Lal's good work at
this Institute contributed a lot
to
the development of education in
the state. In the Institute Jia
Lal
Kaul Nazir enjoyed extraordinary
relationship with his pupils,
teachers, fellow-teachers and
superiors. He attained
superannuation in 1954.
Nazir Sahib, the popular name
by which he was called could
write fluently, be it Urdu or
English.
His services were often
solicited
for drafting rules, regulations,
courses, model lessons,
texts, dissertations, minutes,
memoranda, reports etc. He
would often serve as a member
or secretary of various
committees/
commissioned constituted
from time to time in his career.
His reports bore the stamp of
excellence
and were marked for accuracy,
brevity and eloquence.
Pt. Jia Lal also authored Text-
Books on History and Social
Studies for schools. Well-known
acquaintances and strangers
alike often thronged his Ali
Kadal
residence, even at odd times, to
seek his guidance in personal
and professional matters. He
never disappointed any.
Pt. Jia Lal Nazir was a man of
great integrity. He politely
declined
the offer of then Minister
of Education, Sadiq Sahib to
serve as in Advisor to the
Government
Girls Higher Secondary
School, Nawakadal after
retirement.
However, he accepted the
assignment, a teaching one, at a
private Teachers Training
College in Srinagar. He
continued
to take class for one hour
daily in the afternoon here till
his
demise in June 1970. He is
survived
by three sons and two
daughters.
Pt. Jia Lal abhorred ritualism
and laid more stress on good
conduct in life. To those who
did
not know him as a teacher he is
remembered for his erudite
weekly broadcast over Radio
Kashmir 'Hamara Miras' in Urdu.
This endeavour which reflected
sound scholarship was started
by him in 1948. He delved into
varied dimensions of culture of
Kashmir-scenic splendour,
people, arts and crafts,
cuisine,
culture, music, history,
spiritualism, religions
traditions.
This series which ran into more
than hundred talks received wide
acclaim from literary circles in
the
state and outside. (Sentinel Research Bureau)
Source: Kashmir
Sentinel
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