The queen he saw in me A tribute to my beloved ‘Dada’

Nur Arysha Hosein :

Not only was my Dada the most remarkable person I’ve ever known, but he also had the biggest heart. When I was four years old, I loved butterflies. Someone caught one for me and put it in a small plastic bottle with holes so I could keep it. Excitedly, I showed my new prized possession to Dada. He gently explained that creatures of nature need to be free, not trapped. He told me the butterfly might feel tormented in that tiny bottle and encouraged me to set it free. And so, I did.
Now that I’m older, I look back on that conversation with a deeper understanding of Dada’s love for freedom and his immense humanity. It’s just one of the many cherished memories I’ve built over the 15 years I was blessed to share with him.
I am so grateful to be one of Barrister Mainul Hosein’s grandchildren. I will forever treasure his wise words and let them guide me towards success with strong morals and integrity. Dada was not just the greatest grandfather I could have asked for-he was my hero.
Dada always believed in me, and I know he would be proud of the person I aspire to become. From the very beginning, he lovingly called me his queen, but I would always correct him and insist on being called his princess. Now, it’s time for me to grow into the queen he always envisioned me to be.
(Arysha is a student of Cheltenham College, London).