English & Urdu Text : Khalid IqbalPresentation : Shoaib Sobani

She came from Tanzania, where she lived in Moshi Town, very close to the celebratedMount Kilimanjaro. While in Pakistan, she studied at St. Lawrence’s College in Karachibefore admission in Dow. She had many relatives in Karachi to make her feel at home.Batul was intensely involved in academic activities. She was studious and nevershowed any concern about the extramural happenings which popularized the vibrantambiance of Dow.

There was an element of peacefulness and elegance in her persona. She was fond ofwriting. One of her article “Journey into inner space” published while at Dowgenerated quite a curiosity for it outstandingly described the human digestivesystem as if one was taking a voyage.

Once a graduate, Batul did her house job at JPMC and returned to Tanzania. She hadan opportunity to serve in Medicine at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Nairobi.She got married to Shabbir Ladak and together they migrated to United States. Shebecame a board certified Pediatrician with special interest in Neuro-developmentaldisabilities, a very challenging super-selective specialty. She has been serving forlong at New Jersey in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. She has contributedmany articles on her chosen discipline.

Batul returned to Karachi perhaps after two decades on the eve of the Silver Jubileeof the Batch of ‘79 and like everybody else was very thrilled and nostalgic. Whileeverybody remembered the days at Dow, she remarked about the quality of basicsciences education given at Dow in those times. The education was so redundant andinfructuous compared to the picture of the outside world that one felt grosslyembarrassed and had to make a humble fresh beginning. How true she was!! At leastsomeone spoke the truth. As of today Batul shows very subtle signs of times. A littlehealthier and looks more pious.

PERSONALITY UPLOADED ON 23TH APR 2011Dear All,>Shoaib thanks for your compliments and write up on me. I had a good - laugh with your polite comment on "subtle effects of time" You are - pretty much on the dot about my story though i didn't remember all the> details you wrote about as it was so long ago. soi suppose i will > shade some more light.> Yes, i grew up in Moshi which was beautiful in our childhood days.you> can read about Moshi's flowers and air quality in Greg Mortenson;s> book, " three cups of tea".He spent his childhood in Moshi.> While in Dow, I stayed at home with my sisters. Karachi was certainly a> much safer place as i cannot believe we were able to live there on our>own.I made some very close relationships who continue to be my very> good friends to this day.We had a lot of fun and shared many memorable> moments. We did do some crazy things, one of the most memorable one was> to take a train from Lahore to new Delhi and visit the TajMahal!!> I have been blessed with many graces in life. After i left Karachi, I> went back to Moshi where I got married to Shabbir, my husband. He has> been a very caring and supportive husband. we have two sons, Imran who> was born before my residency and Aali who was born after my fellowship.> Hence the 7 year gap in their age. Imran got married last year to>Shamim from long Island. So now we have a special daughter in our> family. Aali is 19 yrs old and goes to college in NJ.(I have a picture> attached of them) > My career path has been interesting. I worked for a brief period in> AKU, Nairobi. Shershah and NizamDamani were my collegues. Morning> rounds with them were very interesting!! Thinking back, I cannot forget>shershah's first experiance in the field of OB/GYN. He was about to> leave for UK when MrMeckenon asked him if he could help out in the> Ob-Gyn dept for a month. soshershah started his month in Ob. when i> met him at the end of his first day he told me "

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Batul as soon as i put> my hand on the patient's abdomen, Dr S said Shershah, you have a hand> of an obstetrician" He was excited!! I laughed because i could not> imagine Shershah as an Ob.> Boy!! was that a vital compliment!! I think that was an important> turning point for shershah. Everytimei read about Shershah's great> achievements I remember that fateful comment. So i wonder if our Career> goal pre-planned for us!!> Since i have come to the US, I have lived with my family in NJ. I am> passionate about my specialty and I am an advocate for children with> special needs. i also enjoy teaching pediatric residents. In the last> few years I have joined IMI ( Imamia medics International) an NGO under> UN. I have traveled twice to Iraq as a volunteer physician. My last> trip was in December 2010 when i lead a team of Doctors and therapists> to teach about medical needs of children with disabilities. Work was> focused on teaching the physicians and therapists. It was a very> rewarding experience. There is an explosion of genetic and congenital> anomalies in children in Iraq because of the toxins and the high rate> of consanguineous marriages..Hopefully, one day i will be able to write> about the special sons and daughters of Iraq.> Dow 79 group has been a very interesting read for me but i am not> always able to keep up with the pace. I am very proud of all our> classmates and their achievements and it is so wonderful to see how> close everyone has become through this forum.> Thanks to Shoaib and all those who put their time and effort to make> this happen. > Salaams from>Batul Ladak (Hussein)

PERSONALITY UPLOADED ON 23TH APR 2011THANKS SHOAIB FOR BATUL HUSSAIN FATEMA DAYAI WAS HAVING MY NAHTA AT DR ROOM AT 7AM AT AGA KHAN HOSPITAL NAIROBI AND BATUL CAME TO

HAVE HER BREAK FASTWE BOTH WERE WORKING THERE AFTER OUR HOUSE JOB AT KARACHIIT WAS MORE THAN TWOO WEEKS I WAS DOING A LOCUM SHO AT DEPARTMENT OF OBGY AT AGA KHAN HOSPITAL NAIROBI WITH A SIKH GYNAECOLOGIST MY KEHAR ,A GRDUATE OF KING EDWARD MEDICAL COLLEGE 1942 BADGEI INFORMED BATUL THAT I HAVE DECIDED TO DO OBGY

INITIALLY SHE WAS SHOCKED AND COULDNT BELIEVE THATSHE LOOKED AT ME IN DIS BELIFE BUT WHEN SHE REALISED THAT I AM SERIOUS SHE GAVE ME SOME GOOD ADVICES WHICH I ALWAYS REMEMBERDBATUL WAS OUR CLAS FELOW AND I WITH SADIQ CAMMANDER AND JOKIHO WERE THE HONORARY

MEMBER OF HER CLINICAL BATCH WITH SERIUOS PEOPLE LIKE RAJA,IDRESS,FAROQ HABIB ,SABA,REHANA AND SOFIA. IT WAS GREAT FUNTHEY ALL WERE VERY GOOD AND ALWAYS TREATED US EQUALLY AMONG THE UNEQUALSWE WERE TOGETHER IN HOUSE JIB AND I LEARNED A LOT FROM THEM EVEN BY LISTENING TO THEIR CONVERSATION WHEN SURPRISINGLY BATUL JIONED AGA KHAN HOSPITAL IT WAS GREAT TO MEET HER AND SHABBIR AND I HAD GREAT TIME WITH THEMBATUL AN EXTREEMLY INTELLIGENT STUDENT.EXTREEMLY GENTLE,HARD WORKING AND POLITE DOCTOR AND I FOUND ONLY ONE MATCH TO HER IN IRE LAND ------DR LIZ CRYN WHO WORKEED AS SHO IN OBGY WHEN I WAS WORKING AS REGISTRAR,NOW SHE IS THE MOST BRILLIANT PSHYCHATRIST IN IRELAND,I WILL TELL HER STORIES IN TURKEY SPECIALLY TO JALIL IF HE FOLLOW THE ADVICE OF ARSHAD--------I WAS EXTREEMLY IMPRESSED WITH HER DEALING WITH POOR PAKISTANI PATIENTS AT CHK FROM LIARIAND AFRICAN APATIENTS AT AGA KHAN HOSPITAL NAIROBI .IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND DOCTORS WHO ENJOYS RESPECT FROM COLLEGUE . BATUL IS ONE OF THEMIT WAS GREAT TO HAVE YOU IN OUR CLASS - IT WAS HONUR TO WORK WITH YOU HAVE A GREAT TIMEShershah

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BatulTanzanite, from the foothills of Kanjaroo, bright, radiant, unique,sought after and multi-chromicMy recollection of Batul is from first two years at Dow. I think it was bus 2B or 2C from soldier Bazar to Dow. I boarded from Grumander on the same bus. Very properAnd reserved. It was great to see Batul after many years at SilverJubilee do.Wish you all the success and happinessMunir

Thanks Shoaib,Congratulations Batul. I have a ton of questions that I want to ask you, perhaps at some point when we meet.

Bashir

Dear ShoaibMany thanks for sending Batul's profile. I like your comment at the end about subtle signs of times. She is still looking incredibly graceful indeed more pious.I hope she writes and enlightens us with her story.Ifti