Nazir Ahmad Wani is a dedicated teacher from Kashmir who overcame financial and professional challenges to pursue his passion for teaching. He firmly believes that patience and persistence are the ultimate keys to success. Wani advises aspiring teachers to be passionate and determined and to learn and improve continually.

Nazir Ahmad Wani, a resident of Kachri Handwara in the northern part of Kashmir Valley, has been a teacher in a government-run school. After his bachelor's in the science stream, Wani had to opt for a Master's program in English from IGNOU due to some financial constraints at home. From childhood, he aspired to become a teacher, believing it was the profession that gave rise to all others.

When he was selected as an RET teacher, the state government signed an MOU with the central government to not appoint any candidate permanently for 10 years. It was very tough to become a government employee in those days, and hence, he was filled with joy when his name appeared on this list. Before getting into government services, Wani had served in private schools, where he worked very hard. The day his name was figured in the list of RETs for the probation period of 5 years, Wani was over the moon and described the day as not less than ‘Eid’ Currently, he has 14 years of experience in the academic profession.

According to Wani, persistence is mandatory for one to succeed in life, and doing good and forgetting the rest is what inspires him a lot. He channelled his energy towards his goals, which is also his success mantra for where he is today.

Sharing his achievements, Nazir says that teaching students in his vicinity free of charge is what he is proud of. Nazir shares that he is the first person in the village to enrol both of his children in a government school, unlike others in the area.

The quote by which Nazir walks through his life is, “Do your best and forget the rest.” Accepting challenges and overcoming them without evading the inevitable is how Wani has achieved success in his life.

Recalling his childhood days, Nazir vividly remembers the sweet memories he had. However, he often suffered from recurrent fevers. The memory of his father taking him to a medical shop on his shoulders is what he still recalls to date.

Wani believes that everyone makes mistakes, but mistakes are a blessing if taken positively. Recounting the mistakes of his career, Wani remembers how, as a young teacher, he was impatient with students. He wanted them to grasp the concepts quickly, but he realised children need time to learn.

The first five years as a teacher in the government school remained the most challenging period of Wani's career. In those years, the government provided Rs. 1500 a month to RETs. But Wani was patient, knowing that this tough time would also pass by, as it was better to be a government teacher than stay unemployed. The thought 'A man must wait for his turn, and he must not weep before getting his turn' is what kept Nazir going during the unemployment phase of his life.

According to Nazir, education cannot be understated; however, experience is more important and valuable in one's life. Sharing his thoughts on leadership, he shares that leaders are both born and made. Although he is not a born leader, he learnt leadership skills from the situations he faced.

During the COVID-induced lockdowns, Nazir, like others, was boxed inside four walls, but he meditated more than usual to survive those times and found his peace. If he were ever given a chance to go back in time, Wani would want to go back 25 years to rectify his mistakes and learn new things.

In his spare time after school, Nazir likes gardening in an orchard and checking if anything needs his care and attention there. He often keeps humming a Kashmiri song where the poet draws attention to the fact that we are all slaves to destiny and how all our actions are predestined.

For the new entrants into teaching, Nazir shares a word of advice: they should be passionate, learn new skills, and be a determined teacher. Wani also focuses on the importance of being punctual, updated, and fair in order to excel in the noble profession of teaching.