{"id":10305,"date":"2024-09-09T17:20:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-09T11:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/?p=10305"},"modified":"2025-01-13T19:27:20","modified_gmt":"2025-01-13T13:57:20","slug":"the-only-phd-holder-in-turtuk-dr-abdul-hameeds-unwavering-dedication-to-his-village","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/?p=10305","title":{"rendered":"The Only PhD Holder in Turtuk: Dr. Abdul Hameed\u2019s Unwavering Dedication to His Village"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“I believe education empowers you to think in 360 degrees. And in today\u2019s world, that empowerment is incomplete without the internet.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the far-flung village of Turtuk, perched on the India-Pakistan border, Dr. Abdul Hameed has become a pillar of education and a source of hope. He is not just the only PhD holder from this small village; he is a symbol of resilience and commitment to the betterment of his people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dr. Hameed teaches at the local higher secondary school in Turtuk, despite his many academic qualifications. His story is not one of self-promotion but of selflessness\u2014choosing to return to his roots and give back to the place that raised him. \u201cI was in the first batch of students to complete higher secondary here,\u201d he recalls, noting the severe challenges they faced with a lack of resources, especially teachers. \u201cMy 11th grade year was wasted because no teacher was available to teach. I had to take re-admission, and later, I had to leave Turtuk for Jammu to continue my education.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, the difficulties didn\u2019t end with his determination. The financial strain was overwhelming. \u201cMy father made only \u20b93000 a month, and the expenses of staying in Jammu for studies were too high. I couldn’t make it work.\u201d But Hameed persisted. He traveled across the country, eventually earning his PhD from Banaras Hindu University (BHU). His journey wasn\u2019t just about personal achievement\u2014it was about paving the way for the future generation of Turtuk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Internet: A Missing Lifeline in Turtuk<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For Dr. Hameed, the struggle to access education in his youth is eerily mirrored in the experiences of his students today. The pandemic revealed a harsh truth\u2014without internet access, children in Turtuk were falling behind. While most students across India adapted to online learning, Turtuk\u2019s students were left stranded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Hameed took matters into his own hands. He traveled to Delhi and pleaded for educational technology to be provided to his school\u2019s 11th and 12th-grade students. \u201cYou can never predict unforeseen circumstances like the pandemic, but children shouldn\u2019t suffer because of them,\u201d he explains. His voice carries the weight of someone who has seen too much wasted potential due to circumstances beyond control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet, it\u2019s not just about overcoming the obstacles of a global health crisis. Dr. Hameed emphasizes that internet access is critical for students to stay competitive\u2014not just regionally or nationally, but globally. \u201cTo learn any skill today, it\u2019s important to have the internet. The world is moving forward, and if our children don\u2019t have access, they\u2019ll be left behind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bigger Battle: Cultural Challenges for Female Students<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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In Turtuk, the battle for education isn\u2019t just about technology. Cultural norms present an additional layer of difficulty, especially for female students. \u201cIn Asian culture, girls are expected to help with household chores\u2014carrying water, cooking, cleaning. By the time they\u2019re done, they\u2019re too tired to focus on their studies,\u201d Dr. Hameed explains, his voice heavy with concern. These young women, who should be inspired to pursue their dreams, often lack role models and the encouragement they need to persevere in their education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The internet, Dr. Hameed believes, could be a powerful tool for these girls, offering them exposure to ideas, stories, and opportunities beyond the limitations of their village. \u201cThey need to see that there\u2019s a world out there where they can compete, where they can excel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Internet: Tool or Distraction?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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However, Dr. Hameed is not blind to the darker side of internet use. He frequently warns his students about the dangers of wasting time on social media, drawing a powerful analogy: \u201cThe internet is like a knife. You can use it as a tool, or it can become a weapon against you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is his dream to spread awareness about using the internet wisely. He advocates for counseling sessions not just for students but for parents, urging them to understand their children\u2019s unique needs and potentials. \u201cEvery child is different,\u201d he often tells parents. \u201cYou can\u2019t apply the same parenting style to each one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Teacher\u2019s Pride and a Vision for the Future<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like any dedicated educator, Dr. Hameed feels a deep sense of pride when his students succeed. But he is quick to point out that his role is as much about learning as it is about teaching. \u201cI am constantly learning from my students,\u201d he says with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His vision for Turtuk is clear\u2014he wants to see the students compete on a global stage. And for that to happen, the village must have access to the internet. \u201cEducation isn\u2019t just about acquiring knowledge. It\u2019s about empowerment, about thinking critically and creatively. And in today\u2019s world, the internet is a key part of that process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Change is inevitable, Dr. Hameed says, but Turtuk, like many other remote villages in Ladakh, lacks exposure. It\u2019s not that people resist change; they simply haven\u2019t seen what\u2019s possible. For him, the internet represents that exposure\u2014the window to a world of possibilities that his students have yet to fully grasp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the village\u2019s only PhD holder, Dr. Abdul Hameed\u2019s mission is far from over. He\u2019s not just fighting for internet access; he\u2019s fighting for the future of Turtuk, where every child can dream of competing not just with their neighbors, but with the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“I believe education empowers you to think in 360 degrees. And in today\u2019s world, that empowerment is incomplete without the internet.” In the far-flung village of Turtuk, perched on the India-Pakistan border, Dr. Abdul Hameed has become a pillar of education and a source of hope. He is not just the only PhD holder from […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":235702,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[719,926,931,825],"tags":[54,757,758,753,756,755,754,752],"class_list":["post-10305","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","category-ladakh","category-location","category-rural-changemakers","tag-digital-divide-3","tag-dr-abdul-hameed","tag-educational-inequality","tag-female-education-in-remote-areas","tag-internet-access-in-remote-areas","tag-ladakh-education","tag-remote-village-education","tag-turtuk-village"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10305"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10305"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10305\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10312,"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10305\/revisions\/10312"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/235702"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10305"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10305"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/muftinternet.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10305"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}