Dr Mohammad Sharif Chattar (1935-2007) was an educationist, botanist, author and poet of Azad Kashmir (Pakistani administered kashmir)^[1]. He is considered to be one of the earliest PhDs of Azad Kashmir and first in the field of botany. He is well renowned in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir for the research work on plants and vegetation of the Cholistan desert in Punjab and the Thar desert in Sindh province of Pakistan. He is the author of three books on the subject of botany and many research articles^[2]. His only book on poetry could not be published due to his sudden death.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 Death 4 References

[edit] Biography

Born into the family of prominent Rajput Zamindars of Phulyana ( Rajouri)^[3], Sharif had a difficult childhood as he was born three months after the death of his father. He was youngest of the five brothers. He received early education from his maternal grand father who was a notable religious figure. At the age of 13, he migrated to Pakistani Kashmir during the Indian partition. His family settled down at village Pindi Subherwal in Khari Sharif area of Mirpur District. He obtained primary and secondary education from Afzalpur and then went to Quetta with his elder brother who was Subedar in Pakistan army. After completing F.Sc from Quetta, he graduated from Government College Lahore. He completed postgraduate degree in Botany from Jamshoro, University of Sindh. He then joined Water and Power development Authority (WAPDA) for a very short period of time. He left the job due to his interest in teaching and joined the education sector as a young Lecturer at , the Gordon College Rawalpindi. He was greatly inspired by Prof Ralph Randles Stewart who was the principle of Gordon College. He wanted to work in Azad Kashmir so he left the job at Gordon College and started working as forest officer in the Forest department of Azad Kashmir. At the request of ministry of education, he again joined the education sector and later transferred to Gov. College Mirpur. He won a scholarship and went to Hungary for higher studies. He achieved PhD in Botany from University of Szeged.

[edit] Legacy

Dr Mohammad Sharif Chattar is remembered by many as one of the most famous and influential educational figure in the history of Azad Kashmir. He is known for the iron handed administration in educational institutions, his stands against unsuitable Government policies and requisition of Government properties occupied by land mafias. He survived three attempts on his life but nothing could divert his attention from the principles he stood for. He was called "Gun-Toting Teacher" by his critics. He was aggressively vocal against the gun culture and politics in the educational institutions which earned him many enemies. He had many rivals in the education sector who were continuously threatened by his daring stands against irregularities in the department. Due to his self made principles and uncompromising attitude towards corruption, he was never promoted to higher positions. He remained Principle of different Colleges for almost 25 years. He was not even transferred to his own city and as a matter of fact spent all his working life stationed hundreds of miles away from his home.

He was greatly respected by his students, colleagues, higher authorities and also by the rivals for his devoted efforts to promote academic, research and sports facilities in the institutions he served. Legend says that he was so much feared and respected by his subordinates and students that no body would enter or leave the college premises without permission. He forced discipline in colleges when educational institutions were highly politicized and sprawling with deadly violence.He served the Govt.Degree Colleges of Muzaffarabad, Dadyal (twice),Palandri and Rawalakot.

He retired as a principle from College of Education Afzalpur in 1996.

[edit] Death

On 24th of July 2007 he suffered heart attack. He survived but after six days his condition deteriorated. He was taken to Al-Shifa Hospital Islamabad but on thursday 2 August 2007, he died peacefully.

He is buried inside the courtyard of Baba Peer-e-Shah Ghazi and near the shrine of famous Sufi poet of Kashmir Mian Muhammad Bakhsh.

[edit] References