This isn’t just a recollection of university days. It’s a tribute to a friend, a reminder of who we were, and how we became who we are.
By Abdullah Usman Morai | Sweden
We often walk into places thinking we’re just passing through — unaware that some of those spaces, and the people we meet there, will leave lifelong imprints on our hearts. For me, that place was Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam, and among the many friends I made there, one name shines the brightest — Ahmad Ali Tagar.
A Shift in Direction
I initially joined the University of Sindh, Jamshoro, with the hope of building a future in Communication Technology. But deep down, I was drawn to water, land, and the environment — things that spoke more closely to my soul. That realization led me to change direction. I got admitted into the 97 batch of Agricultural Engineering (BE Agri) at Sindh Agriculture University, Tando Jam. There, I found what I had been looking for: water, environment, and life’s raw connection with nature.
I wasn’t an extraordinary student. In fact, I’d call myself average. But I was curious, committed, and passionate. Despite the intense study routine, I kept traveling and writing. What began as a side interest soon grew into a lifelong habit — and, eventually, a way of living.
The First Encounter: Engineering Drawing and Big Eyes
It was in an engineering drawing class that I first noticed him — Ahmad Ali Tagar. A smart, sharp-eyed young man with thick black hair. He wasn’t just another student; he was already helping others understand what the professor had taught. A small group gathered around him, trying to learn more. At that point, I didn’t know that this intelligent guy from Larkano would later become one of the dearest friends of my life.
Another serendipitous reunion happened one afternoon at the hostel veranda. A tall figure in sunglasses walked up the stairs. It was Rehmatullah Pirzado, my friend from college! Neither of us had known we’d end up in the same engineering class. That day, we laughed, ate lunch, and shared memories. Rehmatullah told me he already knew Ahmad Ali — both were from Larkano.
And Larkano kept showing up in my story. Whether it was Aamir Kehar, my primary school friend from Agani, or later Mazhar Taj Abro, Shah Khalid Abbasi, Rehmat Soomro, Muhsin Ali Sangi, and now Riaz Hussain Kango in Stockholm, there always seemed to be one friend from Larkano around me, no matter the stage of life.
The Shalwar Incident and a New Beginning
Though I was allotted a room in the hostel, I only stayed for a week. One of my roommates had the nerve to hang his inside-out shalwar on my towel — a small act, but enough to push me out. I moved to HDA Bungalows in Qasimabad, Hyderabad, and began commuting daily to the university.
That change brought a new rhythm to my life. Ahmad Ali and I started traveling together on the university point bus. Morning chats turned into deep discussions. Breakfasts at the central canteen became part of our routine. Soon, Mazhar and Rehmatullah joined us too. These daily meetups became our anchor through the storm of assignments, tests, and growing up.
A Batch of 200, A Nation in One Classroom
Our batch was massive — nearly 200 students from every corner of Pakistan. From Gilgit to Turbat, Peshawar to Mithi, Karachi to Quetta, we represented the rich diversity of the nation. Among all of us, there was only one female student: Salma Shaikh. She carried a quiet strength, navigating a world full of boys with grace.
After the first semester, I failed in a few papers — no surprises there. I hadn’t studied properly. But Ahmad Ali? He aced them all. Over the coming semesters, he became an unofficial teacher, holding group study sessions and helping others prepare for exams. Many of us passed because of his generous help.
Evenings often found the four of us — Ahmad, Rehmatullah, Mazhar, and I — sipping tea in Hyderabad, sometimes laughing, sometimes dreaming. As we got to know more classmates, the list of friendships grew:
Kamran Bux Soomro, Umar Karim Arain, Aamir Memon, Rafi Niazi, Akhtar Memon, Aamir Khan, Imran Masud, Hamidullah Khilji, Mahesh Hirani, Murtaza Mari, Makhdom Waqar, Shafi Kolachi, Rehmatullah Khan, Idress Khan, Shahid Hussain Gilgity, Tahir Khan, Mukhtar Baloch, Atteq Baloch, Karim Kumbhar, Samar Ali Sirewal, Hafeez Memon, Aftab Khuwaja, Nadeem Jadoon, Salam Baloch, Akhtar Soomro, Majid Maqsood Leghari, Ahmad Rustamani, Kashif Mughal, Alam Siddiqui, Shahid Mahar, Irfan Qaimkhani. Jahan Khan, Imran Soomro, Malik Tareen, Zahid Soomro, Manzoor Deero, Malik Lehri, Aijaz Pathan, Hafeez Soomro, Ayaz Jamali, Javed Kalar, Amjad Solangi, and many others — the names could fill pages, and so could the memories.
A Time of Struggles, Joys, and Lessons
Our faculty boasted teachers with PhDs from abroad—brilliant minds who challenged and guided us. University wasn’t just about books. It was about battles and boycotts, love and heartbreaks, deadlines and dinners, dreams and disappointments. We saw everything: roadblocks, crushes, financial crunches, student politics, teachers’ elections, and the chaos that came with youth. It was a time of struggles wrapped in laughter.
On our last day at the university, while we were splashing each other with watercolors in the lawn, Sain Suresh Kumar Wadhwani, one of our most loved teachers, watched us from afar. His warm smile is still etched in my memory. We all classmates didn’t know if we’d meet again — there were no social media apps, no instant messages. Just memories.
Life After Campus: From Dreams to Paths Unknown
Life moved forward. After years of job-hunting, we heard about a National Program of Improvement of Watercourses. It was /is a huge watercourse lining project supported by the World Bank entire of Pakistan. We applied and prepared together, even staying 2 days and nights before the test at a hotel in Sukkur to study intensively. Ahmad, as always, was our guiding light. We all passed and served for a few years.
Eventually, our paths diverged. I wanted to go abroad for further studies. Ahmad wanted to teach. He became a lecturer at Sindh Agriculture University, went on to complete a PhD from China, and returned as Chairman of the Farm Machinery Department.
I, on the other hand, followed my dream to Sweden, where some of our friends, like Alam Siddiqui, were already settled.
A Final Goodbye to a Gentle Soul
It breaks my heart to write this, but Ahmad Ali Tagar is no longer with us. A kind, humble, soft-spoken friend who touched so many lives with his brilliance and sincerity, left this world a few years ago. But his memories — and the way he helped shape my and many others’ lives — remain alive and radiant.
This isn’t just a recollection of university days. It’s a tribute to a friend, a reminder of who we were, and how we became who we are. Friendships like these are rare. And though life took us in different directions, I hold on to those bus rides, breakfast teas, late-night exam sessions, and watercolour-splashed farewells.
There’s more to share — and I will, in time. Because stories like these deserve to be remembered and documented. And friends like Ahmad Ali Tagar deserve to be celebrated — again and again.
Read: Transform Your Life Through Fitness
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Abdullah Soomro, penname Abdullah Usman Morai, hailing from Moro town of Sindh, province of Pakistan, is based in Stockholm Sweden. Currently he is working as Groundwater Engineer in Stockholm Sweden. He did BE (Agriculture) from Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam and MSc water systems technology from KTH Stockholm Sweden as well as MSc Management from Stockholm University. Beside this he also did masters in journalism and economics from Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur Mirs, Sindh. He is author of a travelogue book named ‘Musafatoon’. His second book is in process. He writes articles from time to time. A frequent traveler, he also does podcast on YouTube with channel name: VASJE Podcast.
