“My name is Akhtar Nawaz Malik. And I am the Head of Department of Mechatronics Engineering.”
The day was 16th August 2007. An 18-year old Fahad had gotten admission in NUST and he was on his way to College of EME for his orientation. Somehow he had gotten a high merit number in the entry test, but unlike his friends who had chosen the fields of Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, he had chosen Mechatronics Engineering as his first priority. This decision had perplexed his friends and his parents who had no idea what this “Megatronics” Engineering was all about. But he assured them that he has read the prospectus cover to cover and he has done a lot of research online and he is convinced that Mechatronics Engineering suits his interests the most. Yet, on his way to the university, his parents raised their concerns again and wondered if Electrical or Mechanical engineering would be a better option. He assured them that he is confident about the decision he has made. And in any case, if he finds out that Mechatronics Engineering is not for him, he still has the option of changing his discipline during first month of the semester.
Finally he reached the lecture hall where the orientation would be given and found a seat at the back of the hall. A few minutes later, in came a short balding man with a well built body in full army uniform walking briskly in long strides. He reached the center of the stage with a broad smile on his face and gave us all an energetic greeting.
“Assalam u Alaikum!!”
This salam was loud and full of energy. But you could also feel a lot of love in it. It was the kind of salam that we usually give to little children.
“My name is Akhtar Nawaz Malik. And I am the Head of Department of Mechatronics Engineering.”
“Assalam u Alaikum!!”
This salam was loud and full of energy. But you could also feel a lot of love in it. It was the kind of salam that we usually give to little children.
“My name is Akhtar Nawaz Malik. And I am the Head of Department of Mechatronics Engineering.”
That was the first time I saw Brig Akhtar. For the next couple of hours, he went on to explain what Mechatronics Engineering basically is, gave us all a tour of the whole department, showed us the labs and projects, and answered all the questions of the students and their parents. Through out this time he showed that he had great patience, amazing oratory skills, excellent sense of humor and a firm grasp over the topics that he was discussing. By the end of the orientation, my parents were very happy and convinced that Mechatronics Engineering is the way to go. And me? Well I just fell in love with the guy straight away.
In the first semester, he taught us “Engineering Mechanics Statics”. In the very first lecture, he told us that he likes to begin his lectures with “Thought of the Day”. He asked if anyone has a thought that he would like to share with us today? I looked around to see but no body seemed to be moving. So I took the opportunity, went to the white board and wrote a couplet of Allama Iqbal that was going around in my head all morning (I think it was:
He asked me to explain it, which I did in a few sentences. He then explained it himself and it turned out that he is an expert of Iqbal. He explained it in great detail and raised points that I had never considered before. His explanation, questions and counter-questions between him and the class lasted for a good 20 mins before he decided that it was enough for today and started the lecture formally. This practice went on for the whole semester. His classes started with the thought of the day followed by his lecture. And honestly speaking, I learnt more from thoughts of the day than from his lectures.
محبت مجھے ان جوانوں سے ہے
ستاروں پہ جو ڈالتے ہیں کمند).
ستاروں پہ جو ڈالتے ہیں کمند).
In the fourth semester, we heard that he was going to teach us “Engineering Mechanics Dynamics”. But then it turned out that we were going to be taught by another professor and he was gonna teach the other syndicate. The next day when I was in his office, I casually complained that sir I had been waiting for your class for three semesters and I am really disappointed that you are not teaching my syndicate. He casually replied, “so why don’t you take my class?” My eyes lit up, “is that possible sir?”. He said, “Sure. No problem. I ll talk to the other teacher and you can take my class”. And this is exactly what happened. For the whole semester, I would leave my own class for Dynamics and take his class instead. This did create a couple of funny scenarios (lol) but I enjoyed every bit of it.
In the seventh semester, he taught us “Introduction to Robotics”. We used to joke around with him that sir we are in our final year of Engineering, how come we are just getting to the “introduction” to Robotics now? He would joke back that its because its only now that you are ready for it. That class was also special because all of it was recorded on video. I wish I could get my hands on those videos now. Can anyone ask the Audio Video department of EME?
He was the epitome of a “cool teacher”. He was someone who would impress you in the class room with his depth of knowledge, humor and energy. And then after the class he would join you in sports and beat you in football, badminton and table tennis etc.
He had become the Dean of EME College during my last two years there and that had made our lives very easy. Whatever we needed, we could get it now with just his signature. No more waiting, no more long paper trails, no more rejections because of little to no reasons. Now if you had an idea, you would go to Brig Akhtar, discuss it with him and get his signatures on the document. Everything else will follow through. In those two years, we organized a huge number of events, invited talks and counseling sessions. Several new clubs were also founded. Things which have become a hallmark of EME College now, like NVC (NUST Volunteers Club) and EME Olympiad, got their start in those two years. EME started to transform from a strict military college (or a school with uniforms as we used to call it) to a proper university full of life, diversity, openness, vibrancy and energy.
In those two years, I went to his office so many times that he started to recognize my knock. Whenever I would knock on his office door, he would say, “come in Fahad!”. He said that I have a distinct style of knocking and he could always recognize it. Some people used to think that I go to his office to get better grades (lol). Little did they know that we never ever discussed my grades in his office. He actually gave me a C+ in that semester. That is the only C+ I have and it was the lowest grade that I received in my bachelors.
In the middle of my final semester, I got a job offer from a company in Lahore. When I told him about it, he disapproved and said this job is not for you. You ll be wasted there. Just wait a little, I may have something better for you. So I decided not to take that job. After my graduation he offered me to become his Teaching Assistant along with a part time job in Islamabad closer to my home.
I worked with him for 7 months and saw his daily life up close. I saw how dozens of people come to him for help and guidance every day. How he treated everyone with kindness and affection. How he was always looking to make people smile even at his own expense. I saw how full of energy he was everyday and how he was always up for anything. He had so many ideas. There were so many things he wanted to do. One day he would be like, Fahad! lets build a technical training institute. I would be like, yes sir! Lets do it. The next day he would say, Fahad! I want to write a book. I would say, sir you definitely should. You owe it to yourself. Then a couple of days later he would say, Fahad! My dream is to establish a trust. And I would say, Sir that’s a great idea. I can totally see you doing that.
I am embarrassed to admit that I think I failed him in this regard and I didn’t help him as much as I should have in achieving his dreams.
I am embarrassed to admit that I think I failed him in this regard and I didn’t help him as much as I should have in achieving his dreams.
When you were in his company, you would always get to learn something new and interesting. When he started talking, you would just want to sit back and listen attentively to whatever he was saying.
وہ کہیں اور سنا کرے کوئی
He would often say, Fahad! we should all become lifelong learners. Our problem is that we stop learning after completing our degrees. We would become much better human beings if we apply the concept of lifelong learning. We should never stop learning. And we should always think of ourselves as students.
وہ کہیں اور سنا کرے کوئی
He would often say, Fahad! we should all become lifelong learners. Our problem is that we stop learning after completing our degrees. We would become much better human beings if we apply the concept of lifelong learning. We should never stop learning. And we should always think of ourselves as students.
When I became a Lab Engineer in SMME, he congratulated me and said that I am very happy that you got the job in SMME. Ghafoor (Brig Ghafoor, the Principal of SMME at the time) is an old friend of mine. You are in good hands.
When I was applying for MEXT scholarship, I asked for his recommendation letter and he graciously gave me one and said this is among the very few recommendations in which I didn’t need to exaggerate.
And when I got the scholarship and was coming to Japan, I called him up from the Airport and said sir you are the last person I am calling before my flight. Do you have any advice for me? He said that I am really happy and honored that you called me just before the flight. And he told me not to forget where I came from and to never forget my roots.
The last time I met him was during my visit to Pakistan in 2016. He was the Director of Foundation University (Rawalpindi Campus) at the time. I made a surprise visit to his office and he was ecstatic to see me. He asked me about the well being and whereabouts of all my class fellows that he could remember. Then I told him that I am about to complete MS and want to pursue PhD. He said that that would be the right thing to do. He further said that I am not worried about you. I am sure that wherever you ll be and what ever you ll do, you ll do a great job and you ll serve the people well.
This was the last thing he said to me face to face. After that meeting, we exchanged a few messages on WhatsApp but I never got the chance to meet him again.
Yesterday (27th August 2019,) my Facebook timeline became flooded with his pictures. He had passed away. Just like that. He was suffering from blood cancer which was only discovered a couple of days ago. He was only 60 years old.
I owe Brig Akhtar Nawaz a lot for not only shaping many aspects of my personality but also for being an excellent mentor to my wife. She has a lot of books that have many personal scribbles from him here and there. She has also kept a prized possession, i.e. a diary with so many hand written pieces of poetry from him. Yesterday, both of us remembered and narrated many of his favorite verses of poetry which he used to quote during his lectures and conversations, and both of us used to complete those verses with him. Both of us have professionally worked with him in different times and he will always be very close to our hearts for making us realize the value of reading books and being kind to one another. It has been said in so many posts so far but I believe for a person like Brig Akhtar, it needs to be repeated again and again, that his kindness had no match. As my wife said, he was the one, the only one, who had such a positive impact on people that he would enter the gates of EME and there would be a chain of heartfelt smiles and greetings from security guards to staff to students; regardless of their department; fellow colleagues alike. That was him, Brig Akhtar Nawaz, saraapa muhabbat, mujassam kamaal, Beshak, “Tum kya gye k rooth gye din bahaar k” (one of sir’s favorite poetry verses)
Few people have made as much an impact on my life as he has made. I decided to become a teacher when I saw how he motivates, inspires, guides and transforms his students. I have read so many books that he had recommended and these books have changed my life. Whenever he would mention the name of a book in our conversations, I would note it down on my diary or my phone and he used to love that. He said I really like those students who take a note of what I am saying.
He was a PhD doctor, a professor, a brigadier, a poet, a social worker, an intellectual, a critic, an athlete, a motivational speaker but above all else, he was a teacher.
He always wanted to write a book. I am quite sure that if he had been given the time to write one, it would have been a great book and a best seller. Its a pity that he left us so early and couldn’t finish his book. But we, his students, are his creations too. We are the living books that he has written himself. As long as his students are alive, his contribution to the world won’t end in.sha.Allah.
He taught us Robotics but he also taught us not to have a robotic life.
He was one of a kind. He was a true legend. He was larger than life. He was an institution in himself. His death is a huge loss and the gap he has left behind will never be fulfilled.
Good bye my teacher, my boss, my mentor and my father figure.
Good bye to the pioneer of Mechatronics and Robotics in Pakistan
Good bye Brig Dr Akhtar Nawaz Malik.
May you rest in peace.
May Allah shower His blessings on you and put you in the highest ranks of paradise.
May He bless your family and your students.
Sadly I could not find any picture of him and I in my PC here in Japan. Probably there might be a few in my PC back in Pakistan. For now, I found a few pictures of him online and I am sharing them here.
Yesterday (27th August 2019,) my Facebook timeline became flooded with his pictures. He had passed away. Just like that. He was suffering from blood cancer which was only discovered a couple of days ago. He was only 60 years old.
انالله وانا الیه راجعون
We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return
I owe Brig Akhtar Nawaz a lot for not only shaping many aspects of my personality but also for being an excellent mentor to my wife. She has a lot of books that have many personal scribbles from him here and there. She has also kept a prized possession, i.e. a diary with so many hand written pieces of poetry from him. Yesterday, both of us remembered and narrated many of his favorite verses of poetry which he used to quote during his lectures and conversations, and both of us used to complete those verses with him. Both of us have professionally worked with him in different times and he will always be very close to our hearts for making us realize the value of reading books and being kind to one another. It has been said in so many posts so far but I believe for a person like Brig Akhtar, it needs to be repeated again and again, that his kindness had no match. As my wife said, he was the one, the only one, who had such a positive impact on people that he would enter the gates of EME and there would be a chain of heartfelt smiles and greetings from security guards to staff to students; regardless of their department; fellow colleagues alike. That was him, Brig Akhtar Nawaz, saraapa muhabbat, mujassam kamaal, Beshak, “Tum kya gye k rooth gye din bahaar k” (one of sir’s favorite poetry verses)
Few people have made as much an impact on my life as he has made. I decided to become a teacher when I saw how he motivates, inspires, guides and transforms his students. I have read so many books that he had recommended and these books have changed my life. Whenever he would mention the name of a book in our conversations, I would note it down on my diary or my phone and he used to love that. He said I really like those students who take a note of what I am saying.
He was a PhD doctor, a professor, a brigadier, a poet, a social worker, an intellectual, a critic, an athlete, a motivational speaker but above all else, he was a teacher.
He always wanted to write a book. I am quite sure that if he had been given the time to write one, it would have been a great book and a best seller. Its a pity that he left us so early and couldn’t finish his book. But we, his students, are his creations too. We are the living books that he has written himself. As long as his students are alive, his contribution to the world won’t end in.sha.Allah.
He taught us Robotics but he also taught us not to have a robotic life.
He was one of a kind. He was a true legend. He was larger than life. He was an institution in himself. His death is a huge loss and the gap he has left behind will never be fulfilled.
Good bye my teacher, my boss, my mentor and my father figure.
Good bye to the pioneer of Mechatronics and Robotics in Pakistan
Good bye Brig Dr Akhtar Nawaz Malik.
May you rest in peace.
May Allah shower His blessings on you and put you in the highest ranks of paradise.
May He bless your family and your students.
اللهُـمِّ اغْفِـرْ لَهُ وَارْحَمْـه ، وَعافِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنْـه ، وَأَكْـرِمْ نُزُلَـه ، وَوَسِّـعْ مُدْخَـلَه ، وَاغْسِلْـهُ بِالْمـاءِ وَالثَّـلْجِ وَالْبَـرَدْ ، وَنَقِّـهِ مِنَ الْخطـايا كَما نَـقّيْتَ الـثَّوْبُ الأَبْيَـضُ مِنَ الدَّنَـسْ ، وَأَبْـدِلْهُ داراً خَـيْراً مِنْ دارِه ،وَأَدْخِـلْهُ الْجَـنَّة ، وَأَعِـذْهُ مِنْ عَذابِ القَـبْر وَعَذابِ النّـار
O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him and give him strength and pardon him. Be generous to him and cause his entrance to be wide and wash him with water and snow and hail. Cleanse him of his transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains. Give him an abode better than his home. Take him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave and from the punishment of Hell-fire.
O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him and give him strength and pardon him. Be generous to him and cause his entrance to be wide and wash him with water and snow and hail. Cleanse him of his transgressions as white cloth is cleansed of stains. Give him an abode better than his home. Take him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave and from the punishment of Hell-fire.
Sadly I could not find any picture of him and I in my PC here in Japan. Probably there might be a few in my PC back in Pakistan. For now, I found a few pictures of him online and I am sharing them here.
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| Broad chest, long strides, glowing face. That is how he always used to walk |
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| I love this picture. That's a typical Brig Akhtar smile right there |
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| This was usually how he arrived in the class room. With a lot of notes and a big smile. |
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| I am pretty sure that he is about to make a well made point here |
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| He was often found reflecting in some deep thoughts |
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| He was always up for some sports with his students |
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| His obituary in a newspaper |
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| I could not have written my MS thesis without acknowledging his contribution in my life |
P.S. If you want to know what kind of things he used to write about then please visit:
Edit 1:
Brig Akhtar was laid to rest yesterday (29th August 2019) in his native village Mitha Tiwana near Khushab. His funeral prayer was also held in Army Graveyard, Rawalpindi which was attended by thousands of people (including my father). And there were thousands more like me who could not attend it and could only present their love, prayers and tears from far away.
- His Facebook id: Akhtar Nawaz Malik
- His Facebook page: Prof Dr Akhtar Nawaz Malik
- His Blog: The Learning Lounge - With Dr Akhtar Nawaz Malik
Edit 1:
Brig Akhtar was laid to rest yesterday (29th August 2019) in his native village Mitha Tiwana near Khushab. His funeral prayer was also held in Army Graveyard, Rawalpindi which was attended by thousands of people (including my father). And there were thousands more like me who could not attend it and could only present their love, prayers and tears from far away.
زندگانی تھی تری مہتاب سے تابندہ تر
خوب تر تھا صبح کے تارے سے بھی تیرا سفر
خوب تر تھا صبح کے تارے سے بھی تیرا سفر
مثل ایوان سحر مرقد فروزاں ہو ترا
نور سے معمور یہ خاکی شبستاں ہو ترا
نور سے معمور یہ خاکی شبستاں ہو ترا
آسماں تیری لحد پر شبنم افشانی کرے
سبزۂ نورستہ اس گھر کی نگہبانی کرے
سبزۂ نورستہ اس گھر کی نگہبانی کرے
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| His final resting place in Mitha Tiwana, Khushab |