JEDDAH — Selfless service and utmost dedication are words that truly describe a woman who kindled the torch of knowledge and enlightened thousands of young Indian minds in a foreign land. She strongly believed in the cause of education, especially for females, and tirelessly worked towards her goal of providing quality education to Indians in the Kingdom. [caption id="attachment_113191" align="alignright" width="300"] Zeenat Jafri with her sons Syed Mudassir Sultan and Syed Mohsin at the award ceremony in Bengaluru. — Courtesy photos[/caption]Zeenat Musarrat Jafri, 65, was recently honored at Bengaluru by Indian President Pranab Mukherjee with Pravasi Bhartiya Samman 2017, recognizing her excellence in the field of education to children of Indian expatriates in Saudi Arabia. With over 20,000 Indian contestants nominated from all over the world, Jafri was chosen and honored with the prestigious award by the Indian government, making her the first woman of Indian origin to get the Pravasi Samman. "Nothing can replace education," Zeenat told Saudi Gazette. "No matter how much money you may have, but education is extremely important as it opens up one's mind and enhances one's ability to think," she said. Zeenat completed her Masters degree from Jammu and Kashmir University and also holds degrees in Bachelors of Education (B. Ed) and Masters of Business Administration (MBA). She moved to Saudi Arabia with her husband Musarrat Jafri in 1979. "When my elder son was 3 years old, there was no Indian school in Riyadh and I was concerned at the lack of educational opportunities for children of Indian families," Zeenat told Saudi Gazette. Having a strong resolution to open a school for them, Zeenat met with then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi during her visit to Saudi Arabia in 1982. "With her permission and support from Saudi authorities, my husband and I completed all the formalities required to establish an educational institution," she said. Zeenat established the International Indian School in Riyadh from her home, without any intentions for monetary benefit but rather solely to benefit the community at large. From 120 students in 1982, the school grew leaps and bounds over the years under the leadership and guidance of Zeenat and currently has 12,000 students enrolled in the school. "For me, girls' education is extremely important. I get very angry when parents pull their daughters out of schools after Grade 10 or 12. They should at least complete their graduation and I have always strived for higher education for girls," she said. From charity bazars to fashion events, Zeenat left no stone unturned to strive for overall development of her students. "I strongly believe that for girls, marriage is important but education is equally if not more important so they can have their own personality development, individuality and achieve something in life," she said. "This is an award that a person can only dream of. I would like to thank the Almighty, my husband for his continuous support, my family, the ambassador and especially the Indian government for recognizing my efforts," she said. A wave of excitement and pride ran through the Indian expat community in the Kingdom as the winner was announced and many took to social media to congratulate her well-deserved win. Suhail Ahmad, President of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Association Riyadh, said, "Her foresightedness, dedication and hard work has brought her this greatest honor. The entire Indian community of Riyadh is enthralled to see respected Mrs. Jafri receiving this award, who truly deserved it."
