SRINAGAR: Kashmir born British judge Khurshid Hasan Drabu suffered a heart attack on Friday. He was immediately shifted to hospital where he is in intensive care unit, family sources said.
Drabu is the only Kashmiri who has received Britain’s second-highest honour, the Commander of the British Empire (CBE) title, from the Queen on the recommendation of the British prime minister “for bringing communities together”. Drabu, a jurist and a former cricketer who played domestic cricket in India, is only the third Muslim and the first Kashmiri to receive this award.
Throughout his judicial career, Drabu has been involved in community-based work. He also drafted the constitution of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) launched in 1997. An alumnus of the Srinagar SP College and the Aligarh Muslim University, Drabu represented Kashmir in India’s domestic cricket Ranji Trophy. Drabu was also the first Muslim judge in the British judiciary. Later, he rose to become the vice president of the Immigration Appeal Tribunal.
Drabu is considered one of the most influential Muslims in Britain. He has played a key role in changing the attitude of British authorities towards its Muslims, including special provisions in the British army, like Imams and permission to grow a beard for a Muslim soldier.
Family sources said Drabu suffered a cardiac attack on Friday and was evacuated to the Southampton Hospital where he continues to be under intensive care.
