Srinagar, Aug. 31 -- I was a primary-school student, playing in the backyard of our ancestral home on the banks of the Jhelum at Zaina Kadal. My mother was unwell, and there was the familiar anxiety that illness brings into a household. In those days, particularly, the arrival of a trusted doctor could transform the atmosphere of an entire home. Then the door opened .A gentleman entered ,neatly dressed in a black suit, carrying his stethoscope. I still remember the warmth of his presence. Before he had even begun examining my mother, the expressions around me seemed to change. Anxiety gave way to reassurance .As a child, I watched with curiosity. Who was this man whose mere arrival appeared to bring comfort ?He greeted my father with the ...