Syed Shahnawaz Hussain meets his teacher, seeks blessing

PATNA: State industries department minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain met his schoolteacher at the latter’s house in Supaul district on Friday and sought his blessing.
Shahnawaz called on his teacher, Kalicharan Mishra, during his maiden visit to his native district Supaul after being inducted into the Nitish Kumar cabinet. He sought his teacher’s blessing to discharge his official duty well and also come to the expectations of people of the state.
Shahnawaz had passed his Matriculation examination from Willson High School at Supaul, which was later renamed as Supaul High School.
Mishra, who is in his early 80s, turned emotional on seeing his disciple. For a while, he could not believe that it was the same Shahnawaz whom he used to teach at the school decades ago.
As a true follower of ‘guru-shishya’ tradition, Shahnawaz touched the feet of his teacher.
An overwhelmed Mishra said, “It is a privilege to be a teacher of such a student who is scaling new heights of success. May God bless him and his family,” Mishra said, adding he is hopeful of his student’s success.
Born in a simple Muslim family, Shahnawaz pursued initial education at his native village in Supaul district. His father late Nasir Hussain was a schoolteacher and mother Nasima Khatoon a homemaker.
Shahnawaz got diploma in electronics engineering from ITI, Pusa, Delhi before jumping into active politics after being inspired by BJP stalwart and former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Though he made his debut in politics by contesting elections from Kishanganj parliamentary constituency in 1994, he lost to RJD heavyweight Md Taslimuddin. However, in the mid-term election two years later, he was elected as a member of the Lok Sabha from the same constituency.
He was later inducted into the Vajpayee government as minister of state for food processing industries, sports and youth affairs. He was the youngest minister in the Vajpayee cabinet. Later he served different Union ministries.