How can I forget my Mother?
My mother Anees Fatima, (aka Husnara) and my father (Hasanuddin Ahmed) were both born at Aziz Bagh and were married in 1947, they had their 25th Wedding Anniversary in 1972 and 50th Anniversary in 1997 at Aziz Bagh, and they both passed away at Aziz Bagh after being married for 70 years.
I authored a book about my father, ‘Life of Dr. Hasanuddin Ahmed, IAS’, published recently. Then I decided to include a brief synopsis about my mother.
The following is taken from that book:
My mother, a dynamic personality, was loved and respected by our immediate family, extended families, and friends.
My mother Anees Fatima (Husnara) was an English teacher with a Bachelor of Arts & Education degree. She earned her B.A.; B.Ed. and she was a licensed English literature teacher. She taught at Mehboobia Grade School. Mehboobia in the early ‘40s and 50’s was an equivalent to Ivy Leage school that demanded high standards from students, that in turn required teachers equally competent as educators.
My mother was invited to attend and participate along with my father at the World Pacifist Peace Conference in Japan in 1954.
Mrs. Ahmed was elected Municipal Councilor, an equivalent to Alderman’s position in the USA. In 1964 the outgoing mayor Rani Kumudini Devi insisted my mother to succeed her. She was also offered to run for the Mayor of Hyderabad by her supporters, but she declined due to other priorities and family commitments.
She was a vivid traveler having travelled Globally several times since 1946 until she passed away in 2017.
Among many other activities that she was involved in, she was also a Commissioner Girls Guide
In 1968 when my father was District Collector at Mehboobnagar, my mother established a school for the needy. As a start my mother requested all officers’ wives to volunteer as teachers until the State Government allocated a budget to afford a school with full time teachers. Within couple of years a full-time school was approved allowing free education there.
Her Volunteer Work
ICSW:
My mother Anees Fatima, (Husnara) was the General Secretary of the ICSW, with her dedication and perseverance, this effort was made possible. Through the ICSW (Indian Council of Social Work) milk supplies were distributed to hundreds of children daily from Aziz Bagh in the late ‘50s. For many years young children formed a line every morning to get their share of a cup of milk.
Red Cross:
Anees Fatima, (Husnara), was a member of the Indian Red Cross’s programs that are grouped into four main core areas: Promoting humanitarian principles and values; Disaster response; Disaster preparedness; and Health and Care in the Community. Anees Fatima volunteered tirelessly assisting the war victims providing them with food, clothing, and medications.
UNICEF:
Anees Fatima, (Husnara), was member of UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund): In collaboration with the UNICEF, a branch of UNO in India, and with the cooperation of its international body. Anees Fatima, (Husnara), worked tirelessly to educate the less fortunate along with her husband (my father) all her life.
[During my father’s deputation to Europe, my parents were also in a small town Othrys in Greece briefly. Their next-door neighbors had two adorable boys, Uranus & Lucretius. My father decided to name his future offsprings after them. So that is how we became Uno and Luku. Mystery solved!]
The best gift she received during her lifetime was the unconditional love that you all bestowed upon her.