SRINAGAR: Syed Muzaffar Aga, former Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir and one of the region’s oldest surviving civil servants, passed away peacefully at the residence of his daughter in Gulberg, Lahore. He was 108.
Born in Srinagar in 1919, Aga belonged to a distinguished Kashmiri family. He was the eldest son of Sahibzada Aga Syed Mehmood Rezavi, who served as Council Secretary to Maharaja Hari Singh, and a nephew of noted social reformer Begum Zaffar Ali.
He received his early education at Tyndale Biscoe Mission School in Fateh Kadal before graduating from SP College, Srinagar, and completing a Master’s degree in English Literature from Aligarh Muslim University. During his student years, he earned a reputation as an accomplished debater.
Aga joined the Kashmir Civil Service in 1943, beginning his career as Tehsildar and later serving as Wazir-i-Wazarat under Maharaja Hari Singh’s administration. Following the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India, he was inducted into the Indian Administrative Service.
Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he occupied several key administrative positions. He served as the first Transport Commissioner of Jammu and Kashmir from 1947 to 1951, Deputy Commissioner in various districts, Director of Industries, Financial Commissioner between 1967 and 1969, and Principal Secretary handling departments including Industries and Commerce, Education, Revenue and Finance.
Between 1975 and 1978, Aga was on central deputation as India’s first Ambassador to the Republic of South Korea, where he played an important role in strengthening bilateral ties and facilitating several agreements between the two countries. On his return, he was appointed Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, serving from 1978 to 1980.
Following his retirement, Aga settled in London with his son. After his son died in the 1990s, he and his wife relocated to Pakistan to live with their daughter.
His wife, Sahibzadi Aleema Begum, passed away in 2012. He is survived by his daughter, Huma Aga, and his grandchildren.
Aga was also the elder brother of Syed Afzal Aga, former Chief Secretary of West Pakistan, and Syed Jalal Aga of Lal Mandi, Srinagar.
