A DMC ICON
By Dr. Arshad Siddiqui
For nearly four decades the person in the photo was, for 1st.year DMC medical students , one of the most important persons to know in the Anatomy department , where he served throughout late 1950s ,60s,70s and 80s . I first met him in 1964 during my 1st.year at DMC.
Though he was just a lab assistant he was the helpline one needed to get thru the 1st.year of medical college. He could always be found hanging around the Anatomy hall or by the staircase .He could teach you Anatomy , he could get you the bones , skulls or whatever else you needed and finally he always helped you pass the 1st.year final exams by providing covert help with Anatomy specimens in orals.
The person in the photo was a DMC icon.
His name is Sahabuddin.
I consider him to be one of my mentors.Though he was uneducated and without a degree himself , he educated me in Anatomy and helped me get my degree for which I will for ever remain indebted to him, I was not the only one he helped , he helped many thousands of to be doctors who went thru DMC Anatomy department during late 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s .
He helped them with whatever he was asked for and whatever he could do for them , he always did it with a smile and never asked for any thing in return. If someone recognized him with a gift of money he was gracious in accepting it and accepted it with gratitude and appreciation.
He was a permanent fixture and icon of Anatomy department and DMC during the many decades he served there .
He knew everyone by name and everyone knew him . So much so that in atleast one case of fake DMC degree disciplinary proceedings his name and photo was used as a test to verify if the doctor under investigation actually attented DMC.
Above is a true incidence and was narrared to me in a private communication by Professor S.M.A. Babar (DMC class of 1967) UK . Professor Babar also kindly provided Sahabuddin photos , a big THANK YOU to him for that.
Here is the story in Professor Babar’s own words:
“I last met Shahabuddin many years ago .In 1969 I was working for PIA. I caught a doctor from Punjab who was clearly a fake Doctor Who claimed to have studied in Dow medical college in my time. Before a committee I showed him the photo and asked him who Shahabuddin was and he did not know. This was used as a evidence against the doctor and he was eventually dismissed for false certification.”
What a ultimate recognition for a lab assistant to have his name and photo used to verify the validity of a DMC degree.
Sahabuddin served the aspiring medicos of DMC for several decades until his retirement sometime in late 1980s or early 1990s, I tried but could not get further accurate information about him, but I have been told that this icon of DMC passed away many years ago leaving behind thousands of DMC graduates who still fondly remember him .
I will always owe a part of my degree and success to Sahabuddin who was one of my mentors.
Sahabuddin THANK YOU , rest in peace my friend and may Allah have mercy on you and place you in Jannah.
Ameen.
Arshad J Siddiqui MD F.A.C.P.
Dow ’69
The group photo show Sahabuddin with Anatomy demonstrators, year unknown.
Photo courtesy of Dr.Sohail Ansari. DMC ( 2nd from Rt.)
Request to all members : If any one have further information about Sahabuddin including when he retired or about his death please put it in the comments so that the story can be updated. Thanks
