Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Mohammad Shafi Pandit, India's first Muslim Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from Kashmir, passed away at a Delhi hospital on Thursday. He was 80.
He had been undergoing treatment for cancer in the national capital, his family told ETV Bharat.
In 1969, Pandit made history by becoming the first Kashmiri Muslim to qualify for the civil services exam. His last posting before the superannuation was at the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) as its Chairman, where he earned a reputation for transparency and fairness.
Pandit was involved in numerous civil society and philanthropic efforts in Kashmir throughout his career. He also played a pivotal role in implementing the Mandal Commission report in 1992 as Joint Secretary in the Government of India.
According to Pandit's family, his body will likely be flown to Srinagar later today, with his family hoping to lay him to rest by evening.
Soon after the news of his death, condolences and tributes poured in from different walks of life.
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. After retirement, he devoted himself to various public causes and emerged as a leading… pic.twitter.com/bbxsAXXXwh
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 19, 2024
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh expressed his condolences, calling Pandit "a good friend" and "a role model for youth from the Valley to join the civil services."
Former Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Haseeb Drabu, also paid tribute to Pandit. "A role model in his youth, an icon in his middle age and a guide as a senior citizen, M S Pandit, IAS, influenced many generations of Kashmiris, including mine," he posted on X.
A role model in his youth, an icon in his middle age and a guide as a senior citizen, M S Pandit, IAS, influenced many generations of Kashmiris, including mine. Proud of his personal lineage and professional legacy, he was the leading light of our clan. RIP.
— Haseeb Drabu (@HaseebDrabu) September 19, 2024
"Proud of his personal lineage and professional legacy, he was the leading light of our clan. RIP," he added.
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