Syed Nissar H. Gilani
Some photographs do more than capture a moment—they preserve a piece of history and keep long-departed friends alive in memory.
Looking back at a photograph from May 1998 brings me straight to the Rajasthan Institute of Public Administration (RIPA)—formerly known as the Officers Training College (OTC) in Jaipur. With its sprawling campus and fine accommodation, it closely mirrored our own IMPA back home in Jammu & Kashmir. Our delegation had gathered for specialized training in satellite imagery for land records and modern surveying, transitioning away from traditional manual mapping. We were also trained in Disaster Management—a subject rendered unforgettable by Prof. Hassan, the Head of Department, whose mesmerizing lectures left an enduring mark. Over the years, Prof. Hassan became a dear family friend. I remain deeply indebted to his immense kindness in 2014 when, upon my request, he and a team of notable Jaipur business figures personally traveled to Kashmir during the devastating floods to distribute relief items across parts of Dal Lake and beyond.
Beyond the formal curriculum, in-service training programs serve an irreplaceable purpose. They grant mid-career professionals a vital interlude to refresh their technical skill set while fostering cross-cultural exposure through regional exploration. We learned directly from distinguished officers of the Rajasthan cadre—including Commissioners and District Collectors—and spent a remarkable day engaging with the late Professor Dhawan, former ISRO Chairman.
Our field studies split us into small teams across Collector offices and record centers. To our surprise, much of Rajasthan’s historical land settlement record was preserved in Urdu, almost identical to our J&K records save for a few regional designations. However, during our visit to the Jaipur District record room, the registers were so thick with dust that we had to abandon our study of the Jamabandi (record of rights). Deeply embarrassed by the inconvenience caused to visiting officers, the young IAS Deputy Commissioner—himself a native of Kashmir—suspended the record keeper on the spot.
Then came the sweltering May heat, an overwhelming shock to those of us accustomed to the cooler Valley breeze. Four of us were sharing an air-conditioned hut. One morning, my colleague Mr. Maqbool Wani (then Assistant Commissioner) caught me in a rather ridiculous struggle: attempting to shave with my body inside the air-conditioned bedroom and my face leaning into the sweltering washroom, whose exhaust fan had broken down. Taking pity on me, Mr. Wani went to the local market, bought a small handheld mirror, and solved our daily dilemma.
That trip also bore witness to a quiet personal triumph inside our shared hut. Our colleague Mr. Hafiz was a heavy smoker, and during the early hours of the morning, the closed AC room would fill with thick smoke, leaving a stale air that made me feel deeply nauseous. Realizing the intense discomfort it caused us, Hafiz Sahab—a true gentleman—decided then and there on my insistence to give up smoking entirely. He made a solemn promise that morning, and remarkably, that truce holds to this very day.
Our weekends offered rich cultural excursions across Rajasthan’s heritage landscape. We embarked on a full-day trip to Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the celebrated 13th-century shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. Renowned for its breathtaking Indo-Islamic architecture, grand deg-chi (cauldrons) for community feasts, and spiritual serenity, the shrine attracts millions seeking peace. As we gathered for Friday Jumu’ah prayers, I was momentarily startled by the sudden, sharp boom of a cannon shot—a traditional local custom fired to notify devotees that prayer is commencing. Unfamiliar with this practice, I stood numb for a second until my colleague, Mr. Hafiz Bakhshi, clarified the source of the bang.
From Ajmer, we proceeded to the serene shores of Pushkar Lake and visited the sacred Brahma Temple—one of the extremely rare shrines in the world dedicated to Lord Brahma. Other holidays were spent exploring Jaipur’s majestic hill forts, the iconic facade of the Hawa Mahal, and the legendary Raj Mandir Cinema—a movie palace world-famous for its opulent, meringue-style interior architecture—where we enjoyed Dilip Kumar’s film Qila. We also visited Jaipur’s famed Albert Hall Museum, a masterpiece of Indo-Saracenic design opened in 1887. Housing rare Persian carpets, intricate metalware, and ancient stone sculptures, its grand halls provided us with a vivid window into India’s rich artistic history.
The trip yielded curious memories too—including a colleague who purchased a massive, monolithic marble replica of the Taj Mahal and arranged for its transport back home to Jammu.
Looking at the photograph today brings both warmth and a touch of sadness. Time has claimed several dear colleagues pictured there: Mr. Hafiz-ur-Rehman (retired Assistant Commissioner), a gentleman par excellence; Mr. Katoch and Sardar Mohan Singh Wazir, both retired Tehsildars; and Dr. Kavida, the then-Director of RIPA. May their souls rest in eternal peace.
None of these transformative experiences would have been possible without the vision of our then Financial Commissioner, Madam Sushma Choudhary—the first lady IAS officer of the erstwhile Jammu & Kashmir state. She was instrumental in arranging multiple specialized training programs for young revenue officers of our batch, continually pushing us toward modern administrative excellence. We remain deeply grateful to her for her foresight and leadership. May her legacy live on.
Decades later, that Rajasthan journey stands as a testament to the fact that while professional courses sharpen our careers, it is the shared laughter, unexpected discoveries, and enduring camaraderie that truly stand the test of time.
The author is a former civil servant. He can be reached at nisargilani57748@gmail.com
