A short autobiography by Dr. Mumtaz Naiyer
The writer is a Postdoctoral Researcher at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and Postdoctoral Fellow at University of Southampton, United Kingdom
It was in the year 2003, I had a choice either to buy a Nokia 1100 mobile phone or a book. Most of my college friends had mobile phones by then. It was some kind of fashion as well as necessity. I was in a dilemma whether to go for a phone or buy a Biochemistry Book? The cost of phone and the book was almost equal.
After one week of unfathomable thinking I finally decided to buy a Biochmistry Book by Lubert Stryer. I consulted my seniors which Biochemistry Book would be better. One of my seniors Nasir Bhai suggested for 4th Edition by Lubert Stryer. By that time 5th Edition was already available in the market and the price was Rs. 2500. I had read 4th Edition in the library and I was deeply in love with this book for its lucid language, inbox comments and graphical representations. Finally I made up my mind for 4th Edition. Unfortunately 4th Edition was off the shelves in most of the book stores in Nayi Sadak, Delhi because 5th Edition was already in the market. I was heartbroken as most of the book stores discontinued 4th Edition. I keep on searching almost for 3-4 hours, finally found one such copy in a remote book store inside a narrow lane @ Nayi Sadak Chandni Chowk. I was extremely happy, I asked the price. The shopkeeper said Rs. 2000. Without a bargain I paid the amount and returned back to Jamia.
I was so cheerful that day I gone to meet my friend and classmate Juned straightaway with the 4th Edition of Lubert Stryer. It was some kind of prized possession for me. When my friend saw the book he got envious and asked me to give him the book. He said, Mumtaz I am not going to return you this book until I buy one for myself. We had a very healthy competition in the class. I could not say “No” to him. I said okay, you keep this I can still read the book in the library. He returned me the book after two months after he brought 5th Edition for him. Juned later did his Masters in Life Science from JNU and PhD from EMBL Germany. And I managed to buy a mobile phone for me at the end of 2004 my M.Sc first year.
That book helped me to crack few National level exams like CSIR-UGC NET-JRF twice and many entrance exams at masters level as well my PhD interview.
There are many ways to spend your money, choice is yours!
