From being an adventure enthusiast, an off -road driving champion to lending helping hand to needy patients, Dr Sharmeen Mushtaq Nizami’s journey is an amalgamation of inspirations and intrepidity. In 2007, Dr. Sharmeen , a Kashmir-based philanthropist, adventure trekker, medical officer, and passionate social worker, lost her husband to the lethal disease of cancer. Motivated by this experience, she decided to establish a charitable trust dedicated to supporting cancer patients, widows, and orphans.
Sharmeen was born and brought up in a middle class family in Srinagar. She went to Minto Circle School and then grew up to become a doctor. She’s a doctor, a social worker and an off road adventure driver.
“I am truly inspired by the strong character of Hazrat Khadija (AS): how she took over her family business and achieved distinction for her fair dealings and piety, her steadfastness and patience are life lessons for all of us. I am equally inspired by Mother Teresa for her devotion and charitable work towards humanity,” Sharmeen said.
Sharmeen always wanted to serve people and was passionate about becoming a doctor. She wanted to help people around her and was passionate about voluntary and charitable work.
Sharmeen lost her husband to cancer in 2007 just six years after their marriage, leaving her to take care of their two children, a three-year-old son and a year-old daughter.
She was shattered. She turned this adversity into an opportunity like a hero. She set up a charitable organization Al-Hajra Baitul Maal (ARI) along with her two colleagues.
“We the three doctors provide free medicinal support to people suffering from diseases like cancer, kidney failures and other severe diseases,” she said.
Dr Sharmeen, who works as Medical Officer at NTPHC Rainawari, said there are families who are needy but don’t come out due to the stigma attached with seeking charity. Since Covid time only, patients are on ARI support for dialysis, cancer medication etc.
Dr Sharmeen has been providing monthly financial assistance to poor patients suffering from deadly diseases like cancer and lung problems in the valley for many years.
Her ARI Trust bears the cost of chemotherapy or dialysis of the poor patients as well as their monthly medicines. Help was also given to those who could not afford the cost of dialysis or therapy due to financial constraints. During this time, she also helped patients suffering from cancer and other dangerous diseases from different districts of Kashmir Valley.
She said that she doesn’t consider that she has achieved much because she wants to achieve more and more satisfaction through her charity work.
“I am looking forward to bringing the widows and conflict battered women and orphans under a single roof for therapeutic sessions and want to work for them,” Dr Sharmeen said.
Dr Sharmeen, a dedicated medical professional with a passion for supporting the less privileged in society, also holds the distinction of being the first female off-road driver in the Kashmir Valley, showcasing her love for extraordinary off-road adventures.
“Inspired by my dad and grandfather who drew jeeps, this passion led me to become the first female off road racer from the state of J&K,” she said.
In 2018, she participated as Kashmir’s first women off-road driver in a snow car rally held in Gulmarg in minus 10 to 15 degree temperature. He created history in the UT by becoming the first Kashmiri woman to participate in snow-racing competition. Some fifty people had also participated in the race, out of which Dr Sharmeen was the only woman.
“Under this idea I decided to take part in the ice race and prepared. It took quite a lot of courage but my passion and passion kept me motivated,” the doctor said.
Dr Sharmeen terms her husband’s loss as the most challenging and distressing time.
“And you know what a woman has to go through, society is against you suddenly. I stood up for myself and I had to stand up for my kids,” Dr Sharmeen said.
“When we suffer, we think it is the end of the world. I suffered financially and emotionally. Pain makes you stronger and one can’t be a healer unless one feels pain deeply. I developed courage and at the same time empathy for others’ pain and suffering,” she said.
Amid the challenging situation, she didn’t give up. “We Kashmiris have suffered so much that pain unites us all, why not come together and put that pain to best use which is ‘let’s touch someone’s life positively and make this world a better place to live in,” she said.
In her message to the women and girls, she suggested that, “Don’t feel sorry for yourself nor allow people to mistreat you. Don’t be a victim and better not to respond to people who are trying to bring you down. Be a survivor and never a victim,” she added.
