Kashmiri Pandit teacher left Valley in body, but never in spirit

SRINAGAR : Beloved teacher. Exiled soul. Hirdey Nath Koul, former principal of Islamia High School in Srinagar, is gone. He died Sept 10 in Hyderabad at the age of 93. He was once of Bana Mohalla near the Jhelum, but carried Kashmir with him until the end. Tributes poured in, led by Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who wrote a detailed obituary. “His contribution in nurturing generations of students at Islamia School with a keen sense of commitment to them will always be remembered and respected,” Mirwaiz said. He recalled the legacy of Kashmiri Pandit teachers in Anjuman Nusratul Islam schools, “who even marked attendance for Muslim boys for afternoon prayers to Jama Masjid — a testament to our bond and shared values”. Koul’s family said he was a resident of Bana Moh