I Love Kashmir More and More…
Some time
back when Prof Mohd Ashraf Ganie contacted me over phone to be a speaker for
this conference, I was a bit intrigued. First of all, the name of the
conference surprised me: I had never heard a scientific society like ‘Metabolic
Syndrome, Prediabetes and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Society’. What is this
kind of Society, which is trying to bring internists, endocrinologists, and
Obs-Gynae experts under one umbrella? Psychiatrists had no place in it, though,
Psychiatry is only obliquely related to all these disorders. A number of new
generation antipsychotic drugs have been shown to result into metabolic
syndrome (weight gain, central obesity, high blood sugar levels) in the users. People
with Prediabetes are at risk for developing depression as well as cognitive
decline. Women with polycystic diseases also have some mental health issues,
which are largely ignored by the patients as well as clinicians. But to call a
Psychiatrist to address these medical experts appeared too far-fetched. I
thought, since Ashraf has been a good friend, he was being a generous host in
giving me a chance to visit Srinagar once again.
Well, I
readily accepted his invitation. Who allows a golden opportunity go waste to
visit Kashmir! Visiting Kashmir has always been a pleasurable experience, and
it would be a fantastic opportunity to escape the scorching Sun of Delhi
weather, mercury touching 44 Celsius on daily basis.
Emperor Jahangir once said about
Kashmir, “Agar Firdaws ba roy-i-zamin ast, hamin ast-u hamin ast-u hmin ast”,
meaning , If there is Paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this.”
However, the
media was reporting some disturbing events taking place every now and then
especially in South Kashmir. Though, there was nothing untoward in these news
about Srinagar, but one exercises some caution while visiting it. My
apprehensions, if any, about visiting the Valley, were immediately put to rest
by Ashraf just by his reassuring phone call. Then I did not look back in making
my preparations.
Ashraf wanted
me to talk on ‘Lifestyle Diseases and Psychiatric Comorbidities’. During our
frequent calls in last few days, he also roped me in to give one more talk on
‘Substance and Alcohol Use: Public Health Implication’. And as if to justify my
visit to this Conference, I also volunteered to speak on ‘Depression and
Non-communicable Diseases’. Believe me, I enjoyed giving all the three talks to
a very receptive audience.
For my
Delhi-Srinagar flight, I had done web check-in and selected window seat on left
hand side of the aircraft. This way, on a good day, you can view majestic
mountains during Jammu-Srinagar sector. I had been fortunate in my earlier
visits to Srinagar, when miles on I could view mighty Himalayan snow covered
peaks. When I reported at the airport, I was informed by the airlines that I
had been upgraded to business class. However, what I realized, to my dismay,
was that I lost my window seat in the process. It was not a good bargain, since
flying business class for a 90 minute flight gives you no extra benefit except
for some more room and extra calories. And I lost the view in the bargain.
Arriving
Srinagar on the evening of 10th May was an exciting experience. The
venue of the conference, Shere-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC),
struck as a venue like out of this world. I have attended my conferences within
and outside the country, but never in my life did I come to a venue as
beautiful as this one. The lush greenery around it, the lake, the flowers all
over, the halls, the ease of going around the venue were all breath taking. The
entire venue was teeming with delegates, busy in animated discussions. Smart
enthusiastic young ladies, who impressed me with their efficiency and courtesy,
were manning the Registration counter and helping with scientific sessions. Later
in the evening we were entertained by local artists with folk music, dance, and
ghazals of popular masters.
The delegates
were from various parts of the country, and so many were overseas delegates.
They had put away all the media scare-mongering, and did not let it come in way
to visiting Kashmir for being part of this Conference. I was told that many
invited speakers had cancelled their visits, and I could only feel pity for
them, since they had missed a golden opportunity to be welcomed by the generous
hosts and local people, and see for themselves that one has to be objective in
making assessment, and not be influenced by the media frenzy.
I felt deeply
touched by the warmth and hospitality of the Organizers, volunteers, staff, or
whomsoever I met over last three days. It is difficult to find so much
politeness, courtesy, and love from people anywhere else.
The
scientific programme was impressively and imaginatively chalked out. I could
find so many illustrious names in the programme, and could meet a number of
them. I attended many scientific sessions, and in each session I learnt a few
‘take home messages’; whether it was listening to an endocrinologist, obs-gynae
specialist, internist, surgeon, paediatrician, orthopaedic surgeon, oncologist,
or a renal specialist, health administrator, or research scientist. Their
presentations were rich in scientific content, and had a message about new
challenges and novel innovations for everyone on lifestyle disorders.
I did find
time to visit the Mughal Gardens once again. They were as beautiful as ever. I
also went to Sonmarg and beyond. The drive to Sonmarg was picturesque, and at
places the landscape was just breathtaking. The road goes all the way to Leh
via Zozila pass, Drass and Kargil. A few kilometers beyond Sonmarg, the trek
starts on the right side to take you to Baltal, and then to the Holy shrine of
Amarnath. The Amarnath yatra will start in June, and continue till mid-August.
I must put on
record my deep appreciation for Ashraf, his wife Sobia and the entire team
behind them. Ashraf had been remarkable in looking after each detail, and
personally attending to the concerns of all delegates, whether it was about
their presentations, their travel or stay arrangements, or looking after their
sightseeing trips. Sobia stood like a solid rock behind him.
It had been
very heartening to see young people attending the conference. Very impressive
had been to see a large number of young women attending the conference. If
women are taking up higher education and challenging roles in a big way, there
is no doubt that that society is bound to progress further and further. The
testimony to that was the fact that all the three award winners for scientific
presentations on the Valedictory function on 12th May were young
ladies. My salute to them.
I also feel
it is high time that the media behaves more responsibly in its reporting on
Kashmir. For the sake of TRP, it has been sensationalizing petty incidents,
which has unnecessarily put all kind of ideas into outsiders’ mind about the
local situation. It only hurts local interests, and prevents people visiting
this magnificent paradise on Earth. Let me give one example, narrated by a
local resident. A few days back there was a heavy downpour for 2-3 days. The
news channel, while reporting on it, showed footage from the havoc of 2104
floods, without clarifying that the footage was an old one. Local people got
panicky that some parts were experiencing Nature’s fury once again!
I have been
fortunate in coming to Kashmir on regular basis. I have very close and deep
friendship with professional colleagues here, as well as with ordinary
citizens. And every time I come to
Kashmir, I love it more and more.
Read my earlier post of January 2016
on Kashmir:
http://himalayanadventurer.blogspot.in/2016/01/kashmir-personal-narrative.html
