Dubai: A box arrived for the pupils of #HajiPublicSchool in Kashmir. And it was from Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling!
She was keeping her promise to a young girl.
Twelve-year-old Kulsum Bano had a reading assignment, which included the Harry Potter books. It was a transformative experience. In a class note, she wrote: “I am not inspired by J.K. Rowling only because she writes well but also because she has faced many difficulties but she never gave up. May Allah bless J.K. Rowling and give her a long life so that when I grow up, I get to meet her.”
On April 26, the director of the school, Sabbah Haji Baji tweeted to Rowling with a picture of Bano’s note and said: “Dear @jk_rowling. Kulsum, 12, a first generation English learner from the Himalayas would like to meet you someday. So come visit us at #HajiPublicSchool.”
Dear @jk_rowling. Kulsum, 12, a first generation English learner from the Himalayas would like to meet you someday. So come visit us at #HajiPublicSchool . https://t.co/F9tvShYJsm
— Sabbah Haji Baji (@imsabbah) April 26, 2018
J. K. Rowling responded immediately and requested for Kulsum’s details so she could send her something.
Please can you send me Kulsum's full name by DM? I'd love to send her something.
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) April 26, 2018
Two months later, the box arrived, filled with colourfully wrapped presents, Harry Potter merchandise and a special note for Bano.
In her note, Rowling said: “… I was so impressed by your English. It would be an honour to meet one day.”
The teachers of the school took to twitter to upload pictures and videos of the children opening their presents. Teacher @enthahotness posted a video of the unwrapped gifts and said: “We were supposed to have our practice exam for Civics after school. No such luck. Everyone was way too excited…#HajiPublicSchool”
One last video. Kulsum reading her very special note. #HajiPublicSchool pic.twitter.com/66sZWmxCGm
— EnthaMiss (@enthahotness) June 23, 2018
Bano initially didn’t want to read the note out loud but eventually did, and looked visibly excited. Haji Baji’s tweet about the presents received 2,000 likes and was retweeted 500 times.
According to the Indian daily newspaper, The Economic Times, the Haji Public school is trying to educate first-generation students. Some children have to walk uphill and through a forest to reach class.
