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The
Seventh Vice
Principal (1996-1997), and Professor of
Mathematics (1966-1997)
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Prof. Ch. Abdul Ghani
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by Kazi Zulkader
Siddiqui, 671/Latif
Prof. Chaudhry Abdul Ghani joined the college in
1966 as teacher of Mathematics. He was the seventh
Vice Principal of the college from 1996 to 1997.
He was born on 15 October 1937. He was
married to the late Mrs. Shaista Ghani on 15 October 1967, and they
had one son - Usman Ghani, kit no. 84162/J, who is now a doctor (anesthetist)
and settled down in Ireland.
Ghani Sahib was the Asst. House Master of Latif
House in the late 1960s. He
was very soft and loving towards the boys. I do
not recall Ghani Sahib ever raising his voice.
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Ghani Sahib was born at Chak 258GB Noor Mahal, which is currently in
Dist. Toba Tek Singh. After acquiring his primary
education at the village school, he completed his Matric
from Maurusipur High School in 1954.
He had
great ambitions in life and moved to Faisalabad at first
for higher studies. He completed his B.Sc. from
Government College Faisalabad in 1959, and then obtained
his M.A. degree in Mathematics from the University of
Punjab in Lahore.
His
first job was as a Mathematics teacher at the Inter
College in Chak Faridabad where he taught from 1961 to
1963. That year, he got his first major opportunity to
move to a institution of repute, and he joined Public
School Hyderabad (located in Latifabad). This school
afforded him the spring board to eventually join Cadet
College Petaro in 1966. It was the 23rd of August 1966
when he moved to Petaro as teacher of Mathematics.
Ghani
Sahib was extremely well liked by his pupils. Soon after
he joined Petaro, he was given two more assignments in
addition to teaching. He was attached to Latif House as
Assistant House Master with Ch. Saeed Ahmed Sahib, a
position he enjoyed until 1969, when he was assigned the
same position in Qasim House for three years until 1972.
In
1972, Ghani Sahib returned to
Latif House as the House
Master. He served in this position for a good 9 years
until 1981.
During
these early years at Petaro, Ghani Sahib was also very
much involved with supervision of Football. During the
initial years (1966-1973), he was assigned a supporting
role as assistant to Raja Khadim Hussain. Then from 1973
to 1981, he was in charge of Football.
1981
brought a new experience for him. He was selected to be
posted to Nigeria on deputation for a period of 3 years.
He was the Mathematics professor at Okrika Grammar
School which was located around 35 Km from Port Harcod.
Ghani
Sahib returned to Pakistan in 1984, and came back to
Petaro. Other than returning to the position of Head of
Dept of Mathematics (1984-1992), he was also assigned
the position of House Master of Iqbal House until 1990.
He was then promoted to becoming a professor at Petaro,
and was then assigned the position of Technical Services
Coordination Officer in 1992.
When
Abdul Ahad Khan Sahib retired in 1996, Ghani Sahib was
the senior most professor and he was appointed the Vice
Principal and Director of Studies of the college. This was during the tenure of
Cdre. S.Q. Raza. He remained in this position until his
retirement in 1997. However, upon his retirement, he was
retained at the college as Professor Emeritus for
another year until 1998 when he finally left.
Retirement did not mean sitting at home. Ghani Sahib was
immediately given an offer to become the Principal of
Khanpur Public School, which he served for another two
years until 2000. He finally moved to Faisalabad to lead
a retired life.
I never met Ghani Sahib again for nearly 27 years since I left Petaro
in 1969. The next I met him was in 1996 at
Petaro, a year before his retirement when he was the
Vice Principal. I was passing by Hyderabad, and I called
him on the phone. I had thought that he may not even
remember me. To my utter surprise, not only did he
remember me but he insisted that I come immediately. He
had laid out a full “High Tea” for me at his home.
Since his
retirement, Ghani Sahib has been a regular visitor to Petaro.
He is there at most of the major functions and loves to be
with the Petarians.
He was
present at the Reunion of 1964-69 entry in 2001 and 2004, and
at the Petarian Convention in December 2004. He delivered a
very loving speech at the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Cadet
College Petaro on 24 February 2007. Please
click
here to watch the speech.
Ghani Sahib lost his long life
partner - Mrs. Shaista - on 8 November 2005. She had been ill
for a long time. It was her illness that had also forced him
to choose to remain at home most of the time after his
retirement. May Allah grant her Jannatul Firdaus.
Ghani
Sahib now leads a retired life in Faisalabad. May Allah give
him good health and a long life!
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