https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

The Poster Boy for the Youth of Kashmir

Dr. Shah Faesal became the poster boy for the youth of Kashmir after he topped UPSC CSE exam in 2010.
Indian Masterminds Stories

About a decade back, when Dr. Shah Faesal became the first Kashmiri to top the UPSC Civil Services Exam, he created news for more reasons than one. Being the first Kashmiri to get the topmost rank in the prestigious exam was enough to make him the toast of the Valley, but more than that, his troubled past brought him into much focus. He had seen his father getting killed in front of his eyes during a militant attack in 2002. He was just 19 at that time, and it was a very traumatic time for him. So, when he topped CSE, people in the Valley rejoiced, and he became the poster boy for the youth.

FACING THE CHALLENGES

Shah Faesal was born in the Sogam area of Lolab Valley, located in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir. He graduated in 2008 from the Jhelum Valley Medical College. He holds an MBBS degree from Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, and has a Master’s degree in Urdu.

He belongs to a family of teachers – his father, his mother and even his grandfather were teachers.

Dr. Shah Faesal with his family

Despite all the trauma he had to face at such an early age, he remained focused in his studies and completed his MBBS with excellent results, even getting a gold medal. Dr. Shah said in an interview that, “I had only two choices – to be bogged down or to stand up and face the challenge.”

CLEARING UPSC

After his MBBS, his well-wishers advised him to go for the UPSC exam and join the Hamdard Study Circle in Delhi to prepare for it. He joined it and in 2010, he cleared the tough examination to become the first IAS officer from Kashmir.

He said, “I felt that I could not have made a change by being at a hospital and wanted to work closely with the government.” It was a proud moment for him and the whole of Kashmir when he was allotted IAS, and he became the poster boy for the youth of Kashmir.

STINT AS IAS OFFICER

On 16 August 2012, Dr. Faisal was appointed as the Assistant Commissioner, Revenue, of Pulwama district. He became the Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora district on 8 February 2014. After this, he joined as the Director of School Education, Kashmir, on 22 August 2015. He was temporarily given the additional charge of the vice-chairman of J&K Lakes and Waterways Development Authority on 26 March 2016.

Dr. Shah Faesal

QUIT IAS FOR POLITICS

Dr. Faesal received the Fulbright-Nehru Masters’s Fellowship in May 2018 to study at the Harvard Kennedy School. He resigned from the IAS on 9 January 2019 citing “unabated killings” in Kashmir among other things, announcing the resignation through a Facebook post. He was also disillusioned with his role as a bureaucrat.

On 4 February 2019, Dr. Faesal Shah began his journey into politics by giving a public speech in his hometown of Kupwara. He launched his own political party, Jammu & Kashmir Peoples’ Movement (JKPM) in 2019. However, this did not last long, and he quit politics also, in 2020.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
BPCL_resized
BPCL Partners with GPS Renewables to Set Up Compressed Biogas Plants Nationwide
Udupi Cochin Shipyard Limited (UCSL)
UCSL Delivers First Green Cargo Vessel ‘Wilson Eco 1’ to Norway, Marking Major Export Milestone for India
IAS Manoj Ahuja
Odisha: Chief Secretary Mandates Field Visits for Govt Officials to Strengthen Governance
NSE National Stock Exchange
Who Is Former IAS Neeraj Kumar Gupta, the Newly Appointed Chairman & Public Interest Director of NSE International Exchange?
Hindustan Shipyard Limited HSL
Hindustan Shipyard Launches Skilling Programme for 2,000 Contract Workmen under Skill India Mission
BEL Bharat Electronics Limited
Lt. Gen Vishwambhar Singh Appointed as Independent Director on BEL Board - Know About Him
NBCC
NBCC Appoints Dr Deepak Singh & Prof. B.P. Bhosale as Independent Directors - Know About Them
MDL_Mazagaon_ltd
Veni Thapar Appointed as Independent Director on Board of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
This Collector Finds Happiness In Squeaks Of Children With Hearing Impairment Who Start Hearing After Surgery
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-23 at 21.26
“You May Fail Twice, But If You Stand Tall the Third Time, You Fly” – Trilok Singh, CSE ’24 AIR 20 | Exclusive
Rejected by the military, Trilok Singh didn’t quit, he reloaded. In CSE 2024, the Rajasthan native stormed...
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-23 at 17.08
Two Births in Two Weeks: How Malavika G Nair Delivered Her Baby And Her UPSC Dreams
Just 14 days after giving birth, Malavika G Nair cradled her newborn in one arm and a UPSC answer sheet...
Komal Punia UPSC 2024 AIR 6
Komal Punia: The IPS Officer Who Pursued Her IAS Dream & Conquered UPSC With AIR 6 | Exclusive
Komal Punia, a trainee IPS officer from Saharanpur, UP, overcame challenges and self-doubt to secure...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
BPCL_resized
BPCL Partners with GPS Renewables to Set Up Compressed Biogas Plants Nationwide
Udupi Cochin Shipyard Limited (UCSL)
UCSL Delivers First Green Cargo Vessel ‘Wilson Eco 1’ to Norway, Marking Major Export Milestone for India
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT