An accident in childhood made him lose sight over the years. But the knowledge and experience he acquired over the years help Shabir Masoodi counsel people even at 71. Majid Maqbool reports.
A label on the door of his chamber in District Court Ganderbal says: Advocate Shabir Ahmad Masoodi, double gold medalist, Aligarh Muslim University.
What it doesn’t mention is that the 71-year-old lawyer in his fifth decade of active practice is completely blind since 2002. People, however, are indifferent to his handicap; they rather stick to his success as a lawyer. His blindness has become an irrelevant detail for his clients.
Swelling with new cases every day his office in the court complex remains abuzz with activity. Every time someone comes near his table at the corner of his small room filled with files, he leans forward, and listens, keenly. After hearing his clients out, he talks a bit, just a few sentences. Economical but forceful in his words, he makes a quick assessment of the cases that come to him and briefs the clients about the strengths and weakness of the case. He fiddles with a pen in his right hand while listening to his clients and taps it gently on the table when he has to interrupt. His eyes, mostly hidden behind his rimmed glasses, blink more than usual.
The aged lawyer in a thin greying beard is discreet in his words. “People don’t consider my eyesight,” he says, leaning forward. “They see my service as a lawyer and how well I can serve them.”
A resident of Ganderbal, Masoodi is the son of a prominent leader of yesteryears Moulana Masoodi. He is also the president of Ganderbal District Bar Association.
But they come to his room – the busiest in the court.
“Why would they come to a blind lawyer if they thought I would not serve them better?” he says. His clerk brings some papers, guides Masoodi’s right hand to the paper for his signature. Once the nib touches the document, he signs it. The clerk carefully slips out the affidavit to reveal another one for signature, then another, till he signs them all, one by one.
Meanwhile, a man enters and introduces himself and holds Masoodi’s hand in his palms in gratitude. He wants the ageing lawyer to defend his cases in High Court.
“He is a very, very competent lawyer,” the man says after kissing his hand in gratitude. “He talks very little and the judge is convinced.” He adds as he leaves.
”I am defending their many cases,” Masoodi says. “They want me to go to high court but I have stopped going there.”
In 1946, when Masoodi was eight, he was hit by a Tonga near Hari Singh High Street in Srinagar. As he fell the cart ran over his head. His eyes bled. “Afterwards for one month I remained in hospital,” he recounts. He was told by the doctors about the damage to the retina of his eyes developing a condition called Retinitis Pigmentoza. Slowly he started losing his sight.
But he continued his education. After passing out from Biscoe School, he graduated from SP College. In the 1960s he left Kashmir and did his LLB from Aligarh Muslim University and an MA in political science from the same university. He secured a gold medal in both courses. On his return, he started his career as a lawyer in Srinagar, occasionally defending cases in Ganderbal courts too.
Up to 2002 Masoodi could read and write a little, though with difficulty. That year he lost his eyesight completely and his mobility suffered. He needed help to move from one place to another. His blindness, however, didn’t weaken his spirits. “I have a strong background in law and history,” he says. “Blindness doesn’t affect me much as I have the experience and knowledge to deal with any case.” He continued his practice.
He overcomes his limitations with the help of his 10 associates who help him with the document work. “When I want some information from the law books, I ask someone to read it for me,” he says.
Clients haven’t turned away. Every day some 30 to 50 cases come to him, though he has stopped taking cases of the High Court at Srinagar. He spends the weekdays in Ganderbal court and on Saturdays he goes to the munsif court in Kangan.
Massodi says that he doesn’t charge a high fee and even waives if off if the client is poor.
Rizik kuda nay baent kay rakah hai, (Livelihood is distributed by God) he says. “If some case is destined to come to me, it will come,” he says. “It’s all destined”
The idea of retiring has not crossed his mind yet. “People of my age retire and take up hobbies like gardening, flowering etc. But I can’t do such things because of the blindness.”
And then the law is not just a profession for him. “It’s my hobby as well,” he says smilingly.
As long as my health allows, he says in a resolute voice, “I will continue my service.”
