Srinagar, Sept 19: Mohammad Shafi Pandit, the first Muslim IAS officer from Jammu and Kashmir, passed away on Thursday. He was 80.
Pandit was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi after he was detected with cancer about a month ago, his family said.
Pandit was the first Muslim from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify the civil services examinations in 1969. His final assignment with the government was as the head of the autonomous Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission.
In bureaucratic circles, Pandit was widely viewed as a chief secretary that Jammu and Kashmir never had.
The soft-spoken Pandit was part of many civil society and philanthropic initiatives in Kashmir. He also played a key role in rolling out the Mandal Commission report as he was the joint secretary in the Government of India in 1992.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election rally here paid tribute to Pandit. “I have come to know Kashmir’s pride and first (Muslim) IAS officer Mohammad Shafi Pandit has passed away. He was working for the benefit of society even after retirement. In this hour of grief, we are with his family,” the prime minister said while addressing the rally.
“My good friend of many years. Mohammed Shafi Pandit, has just passed away. He was a 1969-batch IAS officer who occupied important positions with distinction, both in J&K and at the Centre,” Congress leader and incharge communications Jairam Ramesh wrote in a post on X.
“After retirement, he devoted himself to various public causes and emerged as a leading voice of civil society. Soft-spoken and extremely gentle by nature, he epitomised the glorious composite heritage of J&K and was a role model for youth from the Valley to join the civil services,” the Congress leader added.
Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha in his message said: “Saddened by the demise of Shri Mohammad Shafi Pandit ji. He had an illustrious career as a bureaucrat and served with distinction.He will be remembered for his significant contributions to public service and civil society. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and admirers in this hour of grief.”
Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo remembered Pandit as a very passionate officer who has been there to extend his advice and guidance whenever he was accessed for the same. He termed him a problem solver who had optimum solution for every problem at hand.
He called him a very compassionate officer who was precursor in starting government sponsored coaching classes for civil service aspirants. He made out that he chiselled the career of many youngsters by encouraging them to join the civil services and would be remembered by them for his mentorship for all times to come.
Dulloo further remembered that he met him a couple of times and raised different issues of public importance. He called him a philanthropist par excellence who had changed the lives of many for better.
