Sir Syed Memorial Institute

Down in Bijbehara, right in the Anantnag district, you will find Sir Syed Memorial Institute. It’s a place that feels very much like the rest of this area—grounded and a bit old-fashioned in some ways. We are located at 192124, and the view of the surrounding hills is probably the best thing about being here, though we get used to it after a while. The building has seen a lot of winters, and we spend a fair amount of time making sure the heaters are working when the snow starts to fall. It isn’t a place with shiny glass walls or expensive furniture. We have simple desks and plenty of books that have been passed down through a few hands. The day starts early here, with students walking in from the nearby lanes, some of them looking a bit sleepy until the first bell rings. We don’t have a marketing team or anyone like that; it’s just us teachers and the office staff trying to keep things moving. We deal with the usual stuff like fixing a leaky roof or making sure there’s enough ink for the printer. People in Bijbehara know who we are, and we know them. It’s the kind of school where you can’t really hide from anyone because the town is small. We just do our work, look after the kids, and try to make sure everything is ready for the next day.