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A Special Tribute and a Lasting Legacy
Dr. Baig’s late parents, (l to r) Mohammed K. Baig and Najma Begum
rowing up in India, Mohammed “Bobby” Baig’s father served as a strong role model for him. The senior M.K. Baig’s number one passion was helping others. Professionally, as Minister of Education in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, he worked tirelessly to change policy and was instrumental in bringing advanced technical education there. He convinced the state government to build reservoirs and install pipelines to help residents on the top of a mountain have clean drinking water pumped up the mountain. For years, women would descend 1,000 steps to the base and then carry water all the way back to the top. “In 1992, when there were major riots in India due to the demolition of the Babri Mosque, the only place in the whole country without a single untoward incident was my city Vijayawada,” Bobby recalled. “My father worked tirelessly with the community and the peace-keeping forces to maintain normalcy.” Recognizing his father’s contributions to
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eioh | university of rochester medical center
the society, the government of India gave him a National Award for Peace in 1994; to date, a number of high schools, education centers and markets have been named after him. Outside of his professional life, he and Bobby’s mother, Najma Begum, worked together to advocate and support causes related to education, health care and children with their time, talent and treasure. “My dad was very smart and hardworking, but also very compassionate and generous,” described Bobby (Prostho ’11). Bobby’s parents were incredibly supportive of his goal to be a dentist and prosthodontist; and in 2007, when his mom was diagnosed with cancer, his parents tried to keep the situation as worry-free as possible for him, wanting him to focus on his studies. “It was a very stressful time,” Bobby recalled when he was at Eastman as a resident. “I didn’t want to let my family down. I was trying to help from here, while
