THE STORY OF WAHEED LATEEF

When a child is small. The parents care much. The caretaker and relatives also drop in to inquire about the health of the child. The same thing happens at all places and a new toastmasters club is no exception to it. 2009 was the year of infancy for Saudi Kayan Toastmasters Club. There were some dignitaries who often visited our club. Some of them were our club mentors and sponsors. TM Waheed Lateef was one of them. His presence was graceful and enjoyable. He spoke less and preferred to be simple.

Simplicity is not simple and life too, is not easily understood. It is something beyond earning bucks and feeding one’s stomach. For that reasons thousands of years of Indian culture is full of stories of wise people in the search of a Guru (a mentor, a guide or a leader).

Once a person in search of a Guru, travelled long distances; At one point of time he came to know about a guru who lived in a monastery. Monastery is a place or a premise where a group of people live by the nature to achieve salvation. This person arrived at the monastery with a high hope. From day one he would never miss an opportunity to serve any unit of the mastery. One month passed by, two months passed by, the third month also passed by. The guru went on with his daily chores. Having felt unattended, questioned started rising in his mind. Why am I here? Am I gaining anything? Worries and doubts escalated, patience and hope dwindled. He asked the guru “Why don’t you teach? Why don’t you speak?”. The guru said that is the way I am.

Waheed Lateef, I have never seen him speaking at length, giving long discourses. But he has constantly been drawing my attention. Passing of time has brought me closer to him, made me more friendly but proximity has revealed me one of his weaknesses. He lacks in the trait of getting angry. Many a times I am amazed to see how he manages to be mentor of DTM Khalid Matlagaitu, a friend of mine and an empathizer of a budding toastmaster, all bundled up in a single personality called Waheed Lateef.

People like him are many times alone with everyone around. There were few weeks for the SATAC 2013 to roll out. I had been to his office to purchase a ticket for my annual vacation. I inquired, how is the preparation going on for the SATAC 2013? He replied “With 12 committee chairmen still I am a lonely man” 

It reminded me of the famous song “कहता है जोकर सारा ज़माना आधी हक़ीकत, आधा फ़साना” where in is a beautiful sentence “धक्के पे धक्का, रेले पे रेला है भीड़ इतनी पर दिल अकेला”. It means in this overcrowded world a person still is a loner.

I agreed to be his assistant. I was instructed to be mainly focused on quality and consistency, it gave me an opportunity to be a script writer, to be an assistant, to be a facilitator and to be the result announcer. Being his friend has really rewarded me.

During the SATAC 2013 event seldom was he seen or noticeable. “He was found to be acting nowhere, he was found to be leading nowhere” but with the successful accomplishment of the event I would like to say “He was found to be acting everywhere, he was found to be leading everywhere” Waheed Lateed is a person who carries simplicity and leadership together. Next time I will be there with another story. A story about DTM Jagadeesan Kumar.