https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

PM Modi’s 75th Birthday: IAS Officer Shah Faesal Credits Him for Restoring His Dignity, Calls Him a ‘Priest-King’ of Forgiveness

Kashmiri IAS Officer Shah Faesal’s Journey of Struggle and Redemption Under Modi
Indian Masterminds Stories

New Delhi: On the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 75th birthday, IAS officer Shah Faesal, the first Kashmiri to top the civil services examination in 2010, shared a heartfelt message acknowledging the Prime Minister’s role in giving him a second chance in public service.

A Journey from Hope to Despair and Back

Faesal, a 2010 batch IAS officer from the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, recalled the darkest period of his professional and personal life when he felt completely abandoned. “A time came in my life when I found myself at the bottom of a ditch, professionally and personally. My qualifications still mattered on paper, but the world had moved on. Friends had vanished, recognition had faded, and the future felt sealed shut,” he wrote on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

During this challenging phase, Faesal questioned if his identity as a Kashmiri Muslim would prevent him from regaining his position in public service. However, the opportunity to return came sooner than he expected.

Read also: Who is IAS P.D. Palsana, Recently Appointed as Full-Fledged Managing Director of GUEEDC in Gujarat? Know All About Him

A Second Chance from a ‘True Visionary’

Faesal described the Prime Minister’s decision to reinstate him as an act of exceptional empathy and understanding. “He seemed to read the intent behind my journey, he forgave, the way a priest-king might, measuring not pedigree but purpose. It was a quiet gesture that restored my dignity,” Faesal said.

He promised to share the full story someday but chose to mark the occasion of Modi’s birthday with this poignant tribute: “Many happy returns of the day to the man who transformed a billion lives – Hon’ble Prime Minister of India.

Shah Faesal: A Trailblazing Career Marked by Courage

A doctor-turned-bureaucrat, Shah Faesal made history by becoming the first Kashmiri to top the civil services exam in 2010. Initially part of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, he was later moved to the AGMUT cadre following the revocation of Article 370.

In January 2019, Faesal resigned from the IAS, protesting against what he described as “unabated killings” in Kashmir and the marginalization of Indian Muslims. He ventured into politics by launching the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM), but stepped away from politics in August 2020.

His activism led to his detention under the Public Safety Act in February 2020 due to his critical posts about the central government. After nearly a year in detention, he returned to public life and was reinstated into the IAS in April 2022. By August that year, Faesal was appointed Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, expressing excitement about “starting all over again.”

Nationwide Tributes for Modi’s 75th Birthday

Shah Faesal was among many politicians, business leaders, and bureaucrats who paid tribute to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday, celebrated on September 17th. Born in Vadnagar, Gujarat in 1950, Modi’s journey from a humble background to the helm of India’s government has been widely acknowledged as transformative.

Read also: Who Is NVS Reddy? After 18 Years as Hyderabad Metro MD, Retired IRAS Officer Appointed Urban Transport Advisor


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IPS Y
What Killed an Honest IPS? Y Puran Kumar's 9 Page Suicide Note Unlocks Secrets of Job Stress, Names 3 Top Officials
CM Mohan Yadav
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav Urges IAS Officers to Drive Inclusive Development and Good Governance
Coal-Production-resized
India’s Coal Exports Rise 23.4% to 1.9 Million Tonnes in FY 2024-25, Boosting Regional Energy Security
Rail News
Cabinet Approves ₹24,634 Crore Multi-Tracking Railway Projects to Enhance Connectivity in Four States
UPPSC_UPPCS_resized
PCS Pre Exam 2025: UPPSC Implements Digital Lockers and Iris Scanning for Enhanced Exam Security
IAS Surendra Singh
Who Is IAS Surendra Singh? Officer Reappointed as Secretary to UP CM Yogi Adityanath After Delhi Deputation
Ministry of Coal
Coal Ministry Hosts Stakeholder Meet to Develop Dedicated CSR Framework for Indian Coal Sector
Surya-Ghar-Muft-Bijli-Yojana
PSBs Sanction Over 5.79 Lakh Loans Worth ₹10,907 Crore Under PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
UPSC Strategy & Mindset Tips from IDES Officer Saquib Alam | Video Interview 
Dr G K Goswami IPS
Everything you ever wanted to know about e-murder, e-dacoity and data safety
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
Jitendra Baghel MPPSC
7 Years, 4 Interviews, Now Dy.SP: How Jitendra Baghel Cracked MPPSC Through Relentless Struggle
Jitendra Baghel’s inspiring journey from a humble farming background to MPPSC Dy.SP showcases relentless...
IDES Saquib Alam
UPSC Strategy & Mindset Tips from IDES Officer Saquib Alam | Video Interview 
Discover how IDES officer Saquib Alam left his corporate job at Mahindra, overcame six UPSC attempts,...
Utkarsh Ujjwal IAS
IAS Utkarsh Ujjwal Shares Key Advice for UPSC Aspirants: Work Ethic, Failure, and Focus
Read the inspiring journey of IAS Utkarsh Ujjwal, 2023 batch, Gujarat cadre. From IIT Guwahati to clearing...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IPS Y
What Killed an Honest IPS? Y Puran Kumar's 9 Page Suicide Note Unlocks Secrets of Job Stress, Names 3 Top Officials
CM Mohan Yadav
Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav Urges IAS Officers to Drive Inclusive Development and Good Governance
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IDES Saquib Alam
Dr G K Goswami IPS
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT