Interview of Parvaiz Solangi
by: Rebecca Ursani BS-III
Roll number: 2K14/MC/81
Roll number: 2K14/MC/81
Parvaiz Solangi was born on 1st December 1982 in Pir Jugshenh, a small village in district Dadu. Being a son of farmer, he experienced abject poverty in his childhood. In 2008, he passed M.A in English Literature from
Q. What problems you faced in achieving your goals?
Ans: I was not able
to get admission in university because my parents were unable to pay my
admission fee. I tried hard to borrow some money to continue my studies but it
is hard to lend money to a farmer’s son, so I could not manage it. Thus, I had
to quit my dream of studying in university but, I did not lose hope and started
working as private school teacher. By doing this, I earned some money,
completed graduation and attempted entry test of Sindh University
Q. Beside teaching,
is there any social activism you do?
Ans: I do practical
politics i.e., organizing individuals, raising voice against social and
political injustice and helping out down-trodden communities in natural
disasters. I helped flood victims, in 2011, teach English language and
philosophy, free of cost. In 2013, with the help of my students, I distributed
warm clothes and shoes to the Kolhi community children, still living near Jeejal Maa
Hospital
Q. Any biggest
accomplishment you have made so far?
Ans: Not biggest, but there are little
accomplishments like, running free English classes in Government College
Hyderabad, in 2012 and 2013. When I was new at college, I observed students
escaping their regular subjects so I decided to offer free language classes to
them and discussed my idea with my Principal, who accepted it and offered his
help. An English Club with the slogan, “A step towards academic enlightenment’’
established successfully.
I also ran
philosophy classes every Sunday. We managed to establish a library as well, in
which students took interest in reading books on philosophy, history,
psychology and literature.
Q. What would you
say people learn through education or experience?
Ans: I believe people learn through both,
experience and education but the important thing is, they should also learn to
unlearn things. Many people do not seem ready to unlearn what they learnt in
past. So, they never become able to recognize their ignorance. The process of
acquiring education and going through different experiences will continue
throughout life and one who keep their minds open, continue learning forever.
If you have not opened your mind, education and experience will not teach you
anything.
Q. Have you ever
regretted in life?
Ans: I have regretted being born in an ignorant and
hypocrite society that develops habit of depreciating truth in any case.
Q. Any advice
for youth?
Ans: Youth should
question things and stop taking things for granted, because they are born in
society where people get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of
thinking. Therefore, they should continue questioning things. Through this act,
they can find their true identity.
Interview by: Rebecca Ursani BS-III Roll number: 2K14/MC/81
Edited by Mahira Majid
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No numbering to questions plz. for answer write "Ans". Re construct ans of question number one
Interview
Rebecca Ursani
BS-III Roll number: 2K14/MC/81
Parvaiz Solangi is an English literature teacher at Sindh University old campus and he is a short story writer too.
( please make this portion part of introduction:
My name is Parvaiz Solangi. According to the official record, I was born on 1st December 1982 in a small village called Pir Jugshenh situated in district Dadu. I opened my eyes in the house of village farmer and experienced abject poverty and hunger in the early days of life. Well, I had my primary education in my village and passed higher secondary education from Government High School Kakar in 1999. I did my F.A from Ustad Bukhari Degree College Dadu in 2001. Having done my F.A, I came to Hyderabad for pursuing my difficult goals and dreams that I had set when I was a child. For achieving my dreams, I appeared in entrance test of Sindh University and got selected in the department of Economics. ) Alos reconstruct the remaining part of answer accordingly.
Q1: Tell us about your biographical and educational background. Luckily or unluckily, I couldn’t become the part of Sindh University at that time because my parents weren’t able to pay me 4200 to submit my admission fee. I tried hard to borrow some money from anywhere so that I could continue my studies but to my dismay and frustration, I couldn’t manage it. You see, if you are a son of a farmer, it becomes hard for others to lend you money to carry on with your studies anywhere. May be, this could be the reason I couldn’t get any help that I needed. Thus, I had to quit my dream in studying in university. After this tough and troubling experience, one thing I did, I didn’t lose hope. I started working as teacher in private school in Pathan Colony. I began giving home tuitions as well. By doing this, I learned to earn some money by my own. During these days, a friend of mine suggested me doing B.A from Sachal Sarmast College. In this way, I completed my graduation as private candidate in 2005. Within these four years, I worked day and night and established myself as dedicated English language instructor in Saddar. When I finished my graduation I got an offer to work as English teacher in Kunri, district Umer kot. I accepted the offer and worked there for one year. Afterwards, I attempted entry test of Sindh University second time. I had written only one choice in my form and that was an M.A in English Literature. To my satisfaction, I got my choice in first list, left Kunri, came back to Hyderabad and continued my dream because this time, I didn’t need to borrow money from anywhere to submit my university fee. I had my savings.
Well, I did my masters in first class in English literature in 2008. During these years, I was attached with the profession of teaching. In 2010, I got the opportunity to appear in PCS exam. I qualified it and presently working as Lecturer in English in Government College Hyderabad. Apart from this, I taught Business English in ICMAP for five years and worked in different educational institutes in Hyderabad. I worked in IMSA and taught literature in NUML University. Presently, I’m teaching English literature at Distance Education learning Program at old campus Sindh University. Apart from this, I’m doing my M. Phil from Sindh University on the question of suicide in the light of existentialist philosophy. I’m a short story writer and contribute articles on philosophy in progressive magazines. This is what you may say my little biographical and educational-cum-professional record.
Q2: Thank you sir for your introduction, you have had very harsh and hard experiences of life. Well, apart from teaching, is there any social activism you do?
Well, teaching is a kind of profession that is full of social activism because teacher is a refined individual of society. He plays his part while enlightening others to path of new learning and decency but I haven’t sufficed myself just at the profession of teaching. I do more that is practical politics. This includes so much in social activism i.e organizing individuals, raising voice against social and political injustices and helping out down trodden communities in the time of natural disasters like flood, rains and earth quake. I remember we were group of twenty friends in Qasimabad who helped flood victims in affected areas in Sindh in 2011 on the platform of Labor Party. We had collected the fund of 35 lac rupees and distributed items of food and other necessary stuff to needy communities. Apart from this, I had been running philosophy classes for four years in which I charge no fees. I myself have gone through the sense and feelings of a deprived youth who had big dreams therefore I teach English language to needy students free of cost. In 2013, I with the help of my students distributed warm clothes, shoes and slippers to the children of Kolehi community that still live near Jeejal Ma Hospital.
Q3: Sir, what satisfaction do you get by doing all the social works you do?
Frankly speaking, I don’t do social works for my satisfaction because it is hard job for sensitive men to stay satisfied in class based society. I just do it because it gives me sense that I at least try to live as a productive individual. That is all. This is what I believe the beauty and true essence of man’s existence under the sun. Once Socrates said, ‘’ the more useful you are the more beautiful you are‘’. Beauty for Socrates lies in being productive character of the society. One should not live as useless person because ugliness will over shadow the beauty that resides inside us. I truly want to resist this ugliness and it is one of the reasons I spend some time in doing a little work for humanity.
Q4: That is very nice. Do you support poor people by your own earning or by collecting funds?
Most of the teachers in our society don’t earn millions. They just earn to survive. They hardly complete their home expenditure from the salary they receive. I’m a teacher too. (Jokingly) Nevertheless, I contribute in giving but I solely don’t support the poor from my money. So many friends and students of mine help me do this. There are the people out there who have got sensitive souls and possess soft corner for the needy who are left on the mercy of time. Such needy people are not able to fulfill their basic needs in respectful way. They sacrifice their self respect just to get a few morsel of food. They deserve our help and some people practically come forward to help them.
Q5: That is right sir. Well, the basic needs of destitute people aren’t being fulfilled. According to you, who is responsible for this worse crisis our country is going through?
There is very simple and straight forward answer of your this question. The ‘’State’’ is undoubtedly responsible for this but I have something more to say. Jean Paul Sartre the existentialist Philosopher once said, ‘’ you are always responsible for what you didn’t try to interfere‘’. This quote at micro level makes people like you and I responsible for so much good that we could do while interfering in the decisions and actions of people who try to harm the society with their evil intentions and greedy nature by one way or other. We don’t resist them. You see, we show our powerlessness when we can’t even say a word to a milkman who provides us contaminated milk or we can’t even interfere at the time when our fellow friends appoint incompetent and undeserving individuals on the important post of teaching in universities. In this way, we hand over the future of our young generation in the hands of unqualified teachers who get appointed through illegal means. There is utmost need that we should realize somewhere or at some point we ourselves become responsible for neglecting certain matters that later on prove deadly not only to our society but as well as to our generation. There is much that needs to be changed especially our attitude of viewing sheer injustice with ease and unconcerned conscience.
Q6: Sir, one more question related with any biggest accomplishment you have made so far?
You can’t say them biggest accomplishments but yes there are many little accomplishments in the row. One of them is running free English classes in Government College Hyderabad in 2012 and 2013.
You see it usually happens in government colleges that students escape the regular subject classes and go home before 12:00 pm. When I was new at college I observed this and decided to offer free language classes to the students. One day I entered into office of the principal with an idea to my kind Principal who not only allowed me to work on it but also offered his unconditional help. I started working among the students to establish English Club with the slogan of “A step towards academic enlightenment’’ which I successfully established. On the first day twenty six students came to be the part of English Club and within three months their number reached at sixty three. Students were awarded certificates when they finished their first phase. In 2013, I started its second phase in which seventy students appeared on first day and they reached at one hundred and ten students. In the next phase with the support of principal and my students we did remarkable things under the platform of English Club. We had study tour, played cricket matches, and organized many programs in college. We started library class on every Friday in which students were encouraged to develop the book reading habits. And most importantly, we staged English drama after the period of 40 years. In the third phase, 300 students filled the form to become the part of English Club but something unexpected happened. Controversies were started and I was alleged why I had solo flight in establishing the club? I should have to work with seniors. In the third phase they changed the name of the club and its slogan. I was directed to work under my seniors with new name and policies. The result of controversy showed its effects and I had to quit what I initiated. The club went into hands of other professors.
Apart from this, I ran the classes on the history of philosophy on every Sunday in which large number of students from different area took part. We managed to establish a library as well in which students took interest in reading books on philosophy, history, psychology and literature. Owing to my research work in M.Phil and some other reasons, I have stopped these classes.
Q 7: Why did you initiate such classes sir?
I initiated them with a purpose that poor students would get chance to learn English and philosophy without paying the fees. Moreover, there is shortage of critical thinkers in our society. By imparting the knowledge of philosophy we at least increase the number of people who will be able to think critically and independently.
Q8: According to you, people learn through education or by experience?
I believe people learn through both experience and education but the important thing is they should also learn to unlearn things as they learn and experience more with a passage of time. Most of the people don’t seem ready to unlearn what they learnt in past. Consequently, they never get become able to recognize their ignorance. The process of acquiring education and going through different experiences will continue throughout life and one who keep their minds open continue learning forever. If you have not opened your mind or have made it free education and experience are not going to teach you anything.
Q9: Sir, one different question have you ever regretted your any decision at any point of life?
No. Not the decisions but sometimes, I have regretted being born in an ignorant and hypocrite society as ours.
Q10: Ignorant and hypocrite in what sense?
We had better not try to reach at its sense. Such societies develop one habit of not appreciating truth in any case.
Q11: Ok sir as you wish. Do you have any advice for the youth?
I would advise the youth that they should learn to question things and stop taking things for granted because they are born in society where in the words of Albert Camus people get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking. Therefore it is high time they should realize that they must continue questioning things. It is the only act that would help them find their true identity.
Practical work carried out under supervision of Sir Sohail Sangi, Department of Media & Communication Studies, University of Sindh
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