Lucknow: A fan of great Pakistani Urdu poet Jaun Elia and a lover of Lucknow, Dr Kausar Usman has achieved the feat of being the first Muslim Professor in medicine department of prestigious King George Medical University at Lucknow. Dr Usman, who is a native of Gorakhpur has come here to study MBBS but settled here since then. He, although taught in AMU for a few months but returned soon as he missed the Nawabi town.
Q: Do you belong to Lucknow?
Dr. Usman: No, I belong to Gorakhpur but I am living here in Lucknow for last 25 years or so.. I’ve come here for my graduation (MBBS) and I never really went back. I taught in AMU for a few months but I have come back because of my attachment with Lucknow.
Question: You are the first Muslim professor in medicine department of KGMU, how do you feel?
Dr. Usman: It feels good but it also feels bad. It is really not a good sign that I am the only Muslim professor in this department of KGMU in 105 year. This is really sad.
Question: What can be the reasons behind backwardness of Muslims?
Dr Usman: I think our political and religious leaders haven’t fulfilled their responsibility. They actually created a negative mindset instead of a positive thinking process.
Question: Do you have any suggestions for Muslim community?
Dr. Usman: Hmm, I think we should talk more about great Muslims of the contemporary world. We should talk about people like Brigadier Usman, Brigadier Usman was the senior most officer who was killed in 1948 war to save the honor of this nation but we don’t talk about these great Muslims. We don’t know about our great people of our community. Muslims have done immense great works; we should share this knowledge with our kids. In today’s world, we have to be progressive. There is no scope for ‘ordinary Muslims in today’s world. In today’s world, you have to be “above average”.
Question: Do you see any change in the condition of Muslims in education?
Dr Usman: Yes, must has changed in the past two-three decades. When I was doing my graduation, there were only 2 or 3 Muslims in one batch; it has now increased to 20-25 Muslim students in one batch which is a remarkable development. Not only in medical fields but almost every field, Muslims have done better in last few decades. Actually there is another positive if Muslims do well in education and get government jobs…Muslim, though have other problems but they are the least corrupt community…So, if they get government jobs, it will help indirectly to curb corruption.
Question: You’ve got the best teacher award in 2014. According to you Sir, who can be the best teacher?
Dr Usman: For a good teacher, three things are essentials, one is good knowledge of the subject you teach, second is good knowledge of the language in which you teach and third is communication skills. These three things are must for a teacher.
Question: What changes you see in the field of medicine in India?
Dr Usman: India has done immense progress in this field. In last 20 years or so, the world has recognized our potentials in this field. Almost 250000 patients from all over the world come to India every year, it is remarkable. India’s medical tourism is almost 3 Billion Dollar and it will surge to 8 Billion in next four years.
Question: From where these patients come?
Dr. Usman: Gulf, America and Africa
Question: Do you see any changes in pattern of illness?
Dr.Usman: Yes, there is a certain kind of changes the pattern of illness. Diseases like Blood Pressure, Diabitic and Heart illness have been increased, they have set their foot in rural areas also. These are very costly illness, And these illnesses’ only cure is prevention.
Question: Do you have any suggestion for the government over this?
Dr Usman: Government should work for the poor, it should provide cheap medical services to the poor. With right to education, there should be right to health also. There should be a separate model for the poor.
Question: Do you feel any shortage of hospitals?
Dr Usman: Obviously, you see patients come here for treatment from all over the state. They come here because they don’t have a good hospital in their areas. They cover long distance to see a good hospital, a number of patients die in transportation itself.
Question: Do you see any game changing invention in this field?
Dr. Usman: No, I don’t see anything like a game changer invention in this field. I think we have improved but we have failed to develop medicines of certain diseases also.