Shah Faisal was an Indian civil servant, doctor and politician. He is the first Kashmiri Muslim to top the UPSC examination in his first attempt. Let us know more interesting details about Shah Faesal’s life, family, biography and other facts.
Biography/Wiki
Shah Faesal was born on 17 May 1983 (40 years old; as of 2023) in Sheikh Nar village, Sogam district, Lolab Valley, Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, India. He received his education in Urdu from Sogam Government Higher Secondary School, Kupwara. His father taught him English and mathematics at school. Faesal received his Bachelor of Medicine degree from Sher Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. He was a top student in college.
Family, wife and caste
Faisal was born into a Sunni Islamic family. His father, Ghulam Rasool Shah, was a government school teacher. His mother Mubeena Shah is also a government school teacher. Faesal’s father, Ghulam Shah, was killed by unidentified militants in 2002 when he refused to provide shelter to the militants. Faisal was 19 years old when his father was killed. Later, his family moved to Srinagar. He was a married man, but little is known about his wife.
Shah Faisal and his mother
Faisal is the eldest of three children. He has a younger brother Shah Nawaz (a doctor) and a younger sister Talat Shah (library assistant).
Shah Faisal and his family
appearance
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 70kg
Eye color: dark brown
Hair color: black
Profession
After completing his Bachelor of Medicine in Internal Medicine, Faisal became a doctor. He became an RTI activist in Srinagar. During this period, Faisal decided to appear for the UPSC examination to serve the country on a larger scale. He stayed in Srinagar to prepare for the exams instead of going to Delhi. In 2009, at the age of 27, he took the Indian Civil Service Examination and came first. According to reports, Faisal prepared for the exam for only a month; without the help of any coaching institute. During the Civil Services Examination, he chose Urdu as an optional subject.
Shah Faesal UPSC Logo
Dr. Manmohan Singh and Shah Faisal
Shah Faesal receives bouquet after being declared IAS Topper
Faesal was trained at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). He became a role model for Kashmiri youth and initiated many campaigns to motivate Kashmiri youth to appear for the Civil Services Examination. He is often seen delivering inspiring speeches to UPSC aspirants and is very active on his social media accounts.
He was appointed as deputy commissioner of Bandipora district in Kashmir Valley. On January 9, 2019, he resigned from the Indian Administrative Service in protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir. He announced his resignation on his Facebook page.
Shah Faesal posts resignation on Facebook
After trying to join some political parties in J&K; finally, he launched his own party – Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement on March 17, 2019 in Srinagar. He was also joined by Shehla Rashid, a well-known student leader at Jinan University.
After the special status of the erstwhile state of J&K was abolished, Faisal was detained under strict public safety laws. After his release, he quit politics and expressed his hope to rejoin the IAS. In April 2022, the Indian government restored Faesal’s services. In September 2022, the Personnel and Training Department ordered his transfer to the Federal Ministry of Culture.
dispute
- In April 2018, his tweet sparked a huge nationwide debate in the context of the Kathua rape case. He also tweeted a letter written to him by the commissioner urging the state government to take action against Faisal for allegedly failing to discharge his duties under the Civil Service Rules.
- In another case, Faisal compared Article 35A of the Indian Constitution and said its abrogation would end Jammu and Kashmir’s relationship with the rest of India.
- He was also criticized for taking a long leave in 2018 while serving as an IAS officer.
Favorites
Inspiration: Arvind Kejriwal, Imran Khan and Omar Abdullah
Movie: La La Land
Iconic leader: Mahatma Gandhi
Singers: Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Richa Sharma and Maha Ali Kazmi
Music: Sufi
History teacher: Mohik Temkin
Poets: Dr. Iqbal and Oscar Wilde
Books: Imagining India by Nandan Nilekani and Glimpses of World History by Jawaharlal Nehru
Food habits: Non-vegetarian
fact
- During the 2016 Kashmir unrest, Faisal criticized state media for using his photo to draw comparisons with Kashmiri militant commander Burhan Wani.
- His hobbies include group discussions, listening to music, traveling, reading and writing.
- He was inspired by Kupwara IPS officer Abdul Gani Mir.
Abdul Gani Mir, IPS officer
- Criticizing the BJP-led government, he said “subversion of public institutions like the Reserve Bank of India, Central Bureau of Investigation and National Investigation Agency threatens to destroy the constitutional edifice of this country and needs to be corrected”. Stopped. “
- He was detained in Srinagar on the night of August 13-14 after the Indian government revoked Article 370 and 35-A; when his flight to Istanbul was stopped at the Delhi airport and sent back to Srinagar Then overtime.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education