Daily Times

According to John Quincy, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” But such great leaders are not easy to find. A unique combination of love, compassion, talent, empathy, selflessness and hard work transforms a regular human into a “leader.”

A pure and selfless heart and ability to rise above the “Nafs” enables a man to add value to the lives of others; go where there is no path and leave a trail.

A few days ago, during a training session, Institute of Knowledge and Learning CEO Sohail Rizvi, said that along with skill development and self-discovery, getting associated with a mentor is the key to success.

Because according to him, a mentor not only guides and teaches you but also challenges your ideas to develop critical thinking and problem-solving.

But to be very honest, such people are very few, who can help others discover their true potential and find meaning for their lives.

A mentor is a lighthouse of wisdom and positive energy who lights the torch of hope and leads people out of the darkness. Today, I want to pay homage to one such great mentor, leader, social worker and child specialist.

I was blessed to have him as a mentor and father figure in the very beginning of my professional life. He had this amazing way of becoming friends with people of all ages and educational backgrounds. His sense of humour and wit was unmatched and his taste for poetry was simply out of this world. You rarely see a medical doctor with such a refined taste for classical Urdu poetry and prose. His energy level was so electrifying that he could mesmerise an audience of hundreds of youngsters and senior professionals alike. This amazing personality was Dr Abdul Tawwab Khan (Tamgha-e-Imtiaz). As a professional, he was the teacher of generations of doctors, especially of child specialists, as he retired as a professor of paediatrics from King Edward Medical University after a lifetime of service. And as a social worker and philanthropist, he was an expert of special education because he founded and ran an amazing institute for children and adults with special needs in Pakistan.

As a doctor, he always endeavoured to serve underprivileged children. As a young aspiring doctor, he established a hospital unit for children with special needs in Libya. He set such higher standards that the centre became a success story for the government. As a strong representative of the Pakistani community in Libya, he was always available to facilitate and help Pakistanis in that country. This inbuilt social work and service-oriented personality system grew stronger as the time passed. As a paediatrician, he was at the forefront of fighting childhood diseases. On one side, he was found treating sick babies and calming the distressed parents in hospital settings and medical camps. On the other hand, he always made substantial contributions to research in paediatrics.

Dr Abdul Tawwab Khan was a personification of innovative and visionary leadership. He left no stone unturned for the welfare

He was very active in pediatric associations and used these forums for suggesting improvements in service delivery structures of the medical sector and for the development of informed policy guidelines. He was always available for his patients and students. When his colleagues were busy establishing their private practices, he was day and night serving people to develop a legacy of care and support. While people around were focusing on their net worth, he was busy developing his network. In recognition of his selfless services to children and their health, he was awarded a presidential gold medal.

He was chosen by Allah Almighty for a higher cause of serving the persons with special needs. In 1984, with his life partner, Mrs Perveen Tawwab (Sitara-e-Imtiaz), he started a journey to light up the lives of children and adults with special needs. This volunteer service encompassed his lifetime. Quality, honesty, service and empathy defined the culture of their organisation named Rising Sun Education and Welfare Society. Over the years, it has evolved into one of the largest organisations working for persons with special needs. Steve Jobs was of the view that the main trait, which distinguishes a leader from a follower, is “innovation” and the ability to sense the future trends and keep pace with the evolving world.

Dr Abdul Tawwab Khan was a personification of innovative and visionary leadership. He left no stone unturned for the welfare and uplifting of the population with special needs, starting from teaching, therapy and training services moving to economic empowerment, social inclusion, and promotion of inclusive education in Pakistan. While his life partner held the service delivery front, he extensively worked on policy dialogues, policy development, improvement in policies and procedures at government level and on increasing awareness on the rights of persons with special needs. In recognition of his priceless services, he was awarded Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the Govt of Pakistan.

Dr Khan, known as Uncle by the Rising Sun family, left for his heavenly abode in 2016. Though he is physically not here, his vision continues to guide hundreds of his mentees including me. The most beautiful thing I remember about him was his ability to lighten up the most stressful situations with a lighter note and a smile. With him around, nothing seemed out of reach or impossible. As John Maxwell said, a true leader never complains about the wind rather he adjusts the sails. Uncle was a beacon of light for thousands and thousands of families and his vision continues to guide us.

The writer is the director of Programs & Projects, Rising Sun Education & Welfare Society