Back home in Srinagar, she lived in the picturesque Shalimar area, which directly overlooks the famous Dal Lake. It pained her that in her area there was no public school, that could equip the students to compete with others. Her missionary zeal to do something very purposeful made her start a small school in 1973. She had just cleared the matriculation. There was no money to start with. Her relation, Pandit Ramchand Kak, the erstwhile Prime Minister of J&K, appreciated her intentions. He asked her to use his factory premises for school. Soon she was able to shift the school to a rented building. 

Kiran's desire was not only to impart good education to others but also upgrade her own qualification and education skills. She went on acquire the qualification of B.A., B.Ed., LLB. While pursuing her own studies, she continued to teach the students in her school. The reputation of the school soon spread far and wide. Parents sent their wards from such localities like Dalgate, Naseem Bag, Habak etc. At the demand of people soon she was to launch its branches not only in parts of Srinagar e.g. New Theed, Harwan, Batmalloo, but also in far away Bandipore. Her husband's strong support was the secret behind her success. 

She deliberately chose 'Abhay' (fearless in Hindi) as the name of her school. By 1989, her school had been upgraded to High School. It was housed in a rented building, having thirty-five rooms. Nine hundred students and forty five teachers in just fifteen years is in itself a great success story. The school at Arbal, Shalimar had also a big laboratory, that could match the best one from a reputed public school. She had personal assets worth Rs three to four lakh in school in 1989. 

Militants Strike:

Fate destined something else. Kashmir came under the grip of Islamic fundamentalists. One religion, one culture, one social code was the new slogan of the secessionists. There was no place for enlightened minorities like Kashmiri Pandits. 

Why should she desert her motherland, which gave her identity and pride? Like other schools Abhay School had also to close for long winter vacation. 22nd of December was to be the last working day. Smt Kiran Raina, who had toiled hard to make her school a model school was sitting in her office. Three youngmen, armed with pistols suddenly gatecrashed into her office, pushing aside the chowkidars. They banged her table and told her in Kashmir, "Tohi Chuv Na Yet Arabi Vagaira Parnavan Kehn. Beh Chuv Nah Taleem Nizam-Mustafa Tarikas Peth Divan—" (you do not teach arabic etc in the school and do not follow Nizam-e-Mustafa code in education). 

Smt Kiran Raina was made of sterner stuff. Times had changed. Still she managed to maintain her composure. She told the militants that her school taught these subjects. At this, one militant told her, "you do not admit students to tenth class". She replied that it was not true and added that admission was on and would continue for another few days. 

Kiran mustered enough courage to ask the armed youth where he lived. He replied that he lived at Harvan. At this moment, Kiran was joined by a Muslim teacher, Farhat, who lived at Harwan. Farhat told the youth, "Sir, we have not seen you there". Mansoora, another teacher and sister of the slain Mirwaiz, Qazi Nissar intervened and told the youth that they were not behaving properly. The militants had presumed that the school had only Hindu teachers. 

During vacations, six people came to Kiran's house. They made the pretext of getting translated some Hindi papers into English, and told her husband that these papers were to be presented in the university. As good luck would have it, Kiran was not at home. Her husband Jai Krishan asked them to come sometime later. Their evil intentions put Rainas on guard. 

19th January, 1990 was a day of nightmare for the helpless Kashmiri Pandit community. Her children, particularly the daughter got nightmares because of 'war calls' and threatening noises. Finally Rainas decided to take sometime off to Jammu. Since then 19th January is observed by Pandits every year as the 'Holocaust Day'. 

Exodus Begins:

Before leaving for Jammu, Rainas were witness to something more frightening. One day on 24th of January a group of militants entered their garage after scaling the compound wall. As they intruded, two pet dogs remained faithful by barking incessantly. Gajinder, their domestic help reported the incident to Rainas. They lost their peace. In the evenings they would not even turn on the electric tights out of sheer fear. In wee hours of 26th January, Rainas packed their important documents and few clothes and left for Jammu. They handed over the key of the gate to their neighbours 'Wanis' Chowkidar Ali Bhat took care of the drawing room. 

While some well-wishers among the majority community, had asked them to shift for sometime to Jammu, others suggested to them to stay on and exhorted them to keep school open. They said JKLF men would 'guard' you. To be at the mercy of JKLF separatists! 

Jammu Hospitality:

In Jammu, Ram Lal Bhagat, former Director Social Welfare kept Rainas for one month in his house. Later he helped them find the rented accommodation of one room and Kitchen in Nanaknagar. Rainas ran short of money. Some close relations helped them out. About the initial problems of displaced Pandits Kiran recalled, "It was pathetic to see our brethren walking long distances for registration and other purposes". 

Jai Krishan and Kiran visited Srinagar again in the last week of February and stayed in their house for two days. Situation was alarming. These were the days when long processions chanting secessionist slogans were converging towards Chrar Sharif. It looked that government had lost all control. 

The sixteen years' hard labour that Kiran had put in to make her dream come true had all gone waste. Rainas, like other members of their community were now in exile. Abhay School at Arbal had been taken over by Islamists, who have sportedly now renamed it as 'Imamiya School'. 

Would 'Abhay School, Arabal' take rebirth in Jammu. Kiran had virtually lost all hopes. 'How long this exile is going to be', was agitating the mind of every displaced Kashmiri. If exile is going to be protracted, why not have our own institutions of excellence. Many members of the displaced community, who had earlier served on the staff of Kiran's School motivated her to restart the school. They offered to serve free of any remuneration for one year. Encouraged by this enthusiasm, Kiran purchased in 1991 the little infrastructure necessary for running school from Shastri Memorial School at Muthi. She rented a room to start the school. The room looked more a stable than a classroom. 33 children, two teachers and one Principal was all that was her new school now. In 1993 she constructed four rooms for her school. A big building with as many as 27 rooms now houses 'Abhay High School, Muthi'. The number of students in the school is over seven hundred, being taught by twenty eight staff members. There is a modern library and a laboratory for the school children. The school engages matador and buses for transportation of the school children. Abhay School, Arabal was reborn as Abhay School, Muthi. 

Initially most of the children were non-Kashmiris as the displaced Kashmiris were reluctant to send their wards to a school that was still in infancy. Kiran struggled hard to get fresh recognition for her school. It was the time when students from Valley schools were not given admission in Jammu's schools. Aware of the problems which could crop up in future, Kiran played the role of a great visionary for the displaced community. Local officers in the education department, seeing her zeal and missionary role went out of way to help her. In particular, the role of Ms Sushma Chowdhry was highly praiseworthy. When the displaced community will settle down to a peaceful mode, only then can it appreciate the real import of Madam Chowdhry's help. Ms Sushma Chowdhary saw to it that the school was recognised in no time. 

As the school gained recognition, displaced Kashmiris looked towards the new school with hope. Presently, displaced Kashmiris send their children to Abhay High School, Muthi from as far off places as Mishriwala, Purkhoo, Durganagar, Barnai, Roopnagar, and Railway Head. At present the displaced children out-number the locals. 

Kiran Raina does not treat the school as a profit venture. She says, "this is not a business shop. Staff is our family and we distribute our income equally among the family". The dependants of the victims of terrorism are exempted from paying school fees. They also get books and uniform from the school free of charge. Other needy students are also helped by the school management by charging only nominal fees. 

Cultural Dimension:

What is unique about Abhay School is that it inculcates in displaced students strong pride about Kashmir's rich cultural heritage. The students are told, "you belong to the community. You have to serve it." The students of the school excel in cultural activities also. The management takes special care for this. Cultural programmes are organised in the school and also the students take part in programmes organised by other socio-cultural organisations. Its students were honoured by Kashmiri Pandit Sabha. One of the students got an opportunity to participate in a cultural show organised by Sarang Kala Kunj, Bakshi Nagar. She told the audience, "Main Kashmir Ki Beti Hoon. Muje Kashmir Vapas Dilav. (I am the daughter of Kashmir. Help me get my Kashmir back.") Smt. Kiran, the moving spirit behind Abhay school is not optimistic about the return for the present. She says there has been a breach of faith and situation demands that the displaced community builds its institutions of excellence for long exile. The school also conducts classes for teaching Sanskrit. 

The journey of Abhay School, Arbal to Abhay School, Muthi does not only symbolise the exile of institutions. It also indicates that the vision and the determination among the displaced community members can ease the pain of exile. Smt Kiran Raina's remarkable work is bound to inspire others. 
 

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