First Kashmiri batch of students from Sarhad School will attempt SSC exams
Pune Mirror: They came to the city in the Sahyadris from the chilly slopes of Himalayas to pursue good education and to know India better. Now, this group of Kashmiri students has mingled well with the Puneri culture and you will be surprised to hear them recite a Marathi poem with ease.
These nine students are the first batch of Kashmiri students of Sarhad School to appear for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination in March 2010. Interestingly, Marathi is one of their compulsory subjects for the exam.
The Sarhad School was founded five years back to help Kashmiri children mingle with mainstream India. Principal of the school, Sushma Na-har said, “There are nine Kashmiri students in the total batch of 18 students of Class X.
They are from different parts of Kashmir valley and most of their families have been victims of terrorism.”
When asked about their experiences in Pune, Javed Ahmed, who hails from Badgam district of Kashmir, said, “Initially, we had some problems with Marathi. But now, we are comfortable.”
Javed very happily recited the Marathi poem ‘Sangharsh’. His classmates Mukhtar Ahmad Dar, Abdul Pasid Samoo, Ghulam Bin Shafi, Ashiq Mushtaq Khan, Akhtar Hussain Dar joined Javed.
“Learning Marathi and Hindi was a problem, as most of us studied in Urdu medium schools in Kashmir. The script was also new to us.
But now, we are enjoying it,” Javed said. Rifat Aara, the only girl in the group, seconded his opinion.
Sanjay Nahar from Sarhad, an NGO, said, “Kashmiri students always fear isolation from the rest of India. They feel insecure and unfortunate.
We make them realise here that they are a part of the same land and no different from the people in the rest of India. The purpose of the school is to allow them to learn along with local students.
We are happy to see the first batch that has bonded so well with Puneites. We are sure that the bond will remain forever.”
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