That's Life

Javed had just completed his class twelve board exams before he made the fateful trip to Meerut.


In these days of selfishness, there are still people who are ready to die for others. Javed Khan, an 18-year-old class XII Delhi student was such a rare example of altruism. When he escaped the Meerut trade fair fire unscathed, he could have thanked god for his life and returned home. But he did not. Aware of the grave risk he was taking, Javed moved back to the blazing pandal and pulled out nine children to safety. In doing so, Javed suffered 70 per cent burns. The super-hero succumbed to his injuries in a Delhi hospital.


Javed had just completed his class twelve board exams before he made the fateful trip to Meerut to earn some money, working in the stalls of the Consumer Brand Fair held in Meerut’s Victoria Park. A student of Sarvodya School in Mandawali in East Delhi, Javed was at the Meerut trade fair when the fire broke out. “He was at a stall set up by one of his friends and as the fire spread he managed to escape,” said one of his friends. While running out of fire, he noticed some kids cowering in a corner crying for help. Without caring for his safety he rushed in and pulled out all the kids and in the process suffered serious burns. With close to 70 per cent burns with multiple fractures, Javed became an icon of humanity after he went inside the burning tents to get back the two children he found caught in the blazing fire. After his first successful attempt he moved on again and again bruised and burnt to save the minors till he himself became a victim of the horrendous flare that had engulfed scores of people. The Uttar Pradesh government announced a bravery award and sum of Rs five lakh to Javed posthumously.

Professor Abid Syed is an Adjunct Faculty at DeVry University, DuPage Campus in Addison IL. He works full time at AT&T (formerly SBC/Ameritech), Arlington Heights, IL as Data Service Operations Executive.


Professor Syed is himself a success story. He migrated to the U. S. in 1992 and he brought 19 years of travel industry experience with him. In spite of having a 19 years background in the travel industry he did not get a suitable job matching his experience in the travel industry. He decided to change careers. To do so he planned on pursuing his bachelor’s degree. However, when he presented his credentials, he was told that he has still to complete 13 credit hours of high school in the U.S. After being out of school for over 18 years, at the age of 35, he took it as a challenge and earned the G.E.D diploma. In 1993, he joined DeVry to pursue Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications Management. Besides working two jobs, going to school in the evening, and managing a family of five, he successfully earned his diploma with honors (Summa Cum Laude) and landed a job with Ameritech as Data Maintenance Manager in 1997.


Professor Syed had a goal to teach at DeVry while he was pursuing his bachelor’s degree. To achieve this goal he had to hold a Master’s degree. So after earning his bachelor’s degree, he joined Keller Graduate School of Management in 1998 and earned his Master’s degree in Management Information Systems in the year 2000. He then joined DeVry as Adjunct Faculty and since then he has been teaching Networking and Business courses. He was named in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers in 2002.


Professor Syed believes “No one can go back and make a brand new start. Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” (Anonymous).


Professor Syed and his wife Asma have three grown sons and live in Bolingbrook, IL.