Srinagar, May 6 -- Sixteen years after my father, Abdul Rashid Qureshi, passed away, I find myself reflecting on the lessons he taught me, the strength he embodied, and the life he lived with purpose.

Born in 1956 in Nambla, a village in Tehsil Uri, Baramulla, my father's early years were marked by simplicity. His childhood in Boniyar, surrounded by Kashmir's natural beauty, left a lasting impression. His father, Ghulam Mohi Ud Din Qureshi, was a postmaster. He was a man devoted to service. His mother, Aisha Begum, embodied honesty and integrity, shaping his values.

Tragedy struck early when my father lost his father, forcing him to leave school to support his family. Yet, even then, he never surrendered to hardship. Instead, he worked ...