Kashmiri doc who topped IAS to be honoured today

Dr Shah Faisal

Mateen Hafeez | TNN

Mumbai: The Federation of Minorities, an NGO, will felicitate Dr Shah Faisal, who topped the civil services exam this year, at Anjuman-i-Islam, near CST, on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old doctor is the first Kashmiri to top this examination.

Dr Azimuddin, coordinator for the Federation of Minorities, said that Faisal was the fourth from the minority community to top the exam and it was an honour for his family as well as the country.

“We will felicitate him and that will inspire students from the community. Civil services aspirants have also been called. They will be able to interact with Faisal and ask him about the preparation for the exams. Faisal will also explain his method of study,’’ Azimuddin added.
State directorgeneral of police D Sivanandhan and city police commissioner Sanjeev Dayal will also attend the function as guests.

Faisal’s father was shot down in 2002 just three days prior to his pre-medical exams because he refused shelter to militants. He has never been to any coaching classes and has studied on his own.

Describing himself as a victim of conflict, Faisal said, “I have watched the bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir very closely. I was devastated when my father, Ghulam Rasool Shah, was gunned down. It is him that I miss the most today. He used to dote on me and taught me English and Maths when I studied in school.’’

Faisal, who did his MBBS from Srinagar’s Sher-i-Kashmir Medical College, said he was confident of qualifying but never imagined he would end up at the top of the heap.

mateen.hafeez@timesgroup.com

The Times of India, June 15, 2010