SRINAGAR: In a significant administrative reshuffle of 56 officials, the General Administration Department has announced a series of transfers and postings affecting the positions of a few Deputy Commissioners across Jammu and Kashmir.
Bilal Mohi-ud-Din Bhat
Bilal Mohi-ud-Din Bhat, Deputy Commissioner, Kulgam, is transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar.
In the 2016 Civil Services Exam, a total of 1099 candidates were recommended for the civil services profession. Candidates from various states in India exhibited good performance, with Jammu and Kashmir contributing with 14 ranks, replicating their success from the previous year.
One notable achievement was by Bilal Mohiuddin Bhat, who emerged as the UPSC topper from the Kashmir Valley. His desire led him to secure the 10th All India Rank in the UPSC Civil Services IAS exam of 2016.
Bilal is from Unsoo Wahipora in North Kashmir’s Handwara, a remote border district. His father is a Kashmir state administrative cadre officer, and he has three brothers and a sister. Married and a father of a daughter, Bilal completed schooling at Minto Circle School in Srinagar. Bilal has cleared exams like the Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) in 2012 and the Indian Forest Services Exam in 2013.
During the announcement of the IAS results in 2016, Bilal was serving as an Indian Forest Service Officer in Lucknow.
Mohammad Aijaz
Mohammad Aijaz (IAS:2012), who previously served as Deputy Commissioner in Srinagar, has been appointed as the Administrative Secretary of the Planning Development and Monitoring Department. Additionally, he will take on the role of Administrative Secretary for the Civil Aviation Department, holding this responsibility in addition to his existing duties.
A member of the 2012 batch of the Indian Administrative Service, Asad holds the distinction of being the first IAS officer from the border district of Poonch since 1947. In addition to his administrative role, Asad is also a recognised Urdu poet, known for his works in political satire and romance.
Originating from Dharana village in Poonch, a region marked by historical border tensions, Asad has firsthand experience of the challenges faced in the border village where he was born. His father, employed as an engineer in the government sector, and his mother, a homemaker, raised Asad amidst the backdrop of frequent gunfights and cross-LoC shelling. Despite facing numerous obstacles, he persevered, walking 8 kilometres daily to attend school.
Asad’s educational journey includes studies at Government Higher Secondary School, Mendhar, for his initial years and later, at SM Jain Higher Secondary School, Jammu, for his higher secondary education. Post this, he pursued higher studies at IIT Delhi and subsequently worked at Engineers India Limited, a Delhi-based engineering consultancy. His dedication led him to qualify for the Indian Civil Service Examination in 2011, where he was allocated to the Indian Revenue Service with training until 2012, securing his home cadre as Jammu and Kashmir.
Throughout his career, Asad has held various administrative positions, including SDM of Khansahib Sub-Division in Budgam district, Deputy/Additional Secretary to CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Deputy Commissioner of Ramban, and Deputy Commissioner of Shopian. His remarkable achievements include the highest enrollment of electors in the state, earning him the Best Electoral Practices Award in 2017. In 2018, he added ‘author’ to his list of accomplishments with the publication of his debut book, ‘Barf Zaar,’ which later earned him the Bhasha Parishad Yuva Puruskar in 2019.
Vikas Kundal
Vikas Kundal, the former Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri, will now assume the position of Managing Director at Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited.
Vikas is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 2013 batch, belonging to the AGMUT cadre. He has served in various positions, including Deputy Commissioner of Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir.
He holds a Bachelor of Technology (B Tech) degree in Chemical Engineering from the National Institute of Technology Srinagar. Kundal is known for his dedication to public service and has been involved in the efficient administration of the Rajouri district. He is also an alumnus of the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration. In addition to his professional achievements, he has a keen interest in Sufi, Qawalli, and Punjabi folk music.
In addition to his professional achievements, he has a keen interest in Sufi, Qawalli, and Punjabi folk music. Kundal has been involved in various development projects in Rajouri, including the foundation stone laying of a 5000-gallon-per-hour Hour Rapid Sand Filtration Plant in Thalka.
Syed Sehrish Asgar
Syed Sehrish Asgar transitions from Deputy Commissioner in Baramulla to the role of Administrative Secretary for Public Grievances. She will also take on the responsibility of Chief Executive Officer for the J&K Economic Reconstruction Agency.
IAS officer Syed Sehrish Asgar who is a second-generation civil service officer has received the PM’s Award for Excellence in Civil Services. Her father Syed Asghar was a 1977-batch Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) officer.
She completed her schooling at Presentation Convent in Jammu and in 2023, she joined Batra Medical College. However, her passion for civil services led her to pursue a career in this field.
In 2011, she topped the State Civil Service Exams, which was just the beginning of her illustrious career. She later cracked the UPSC Civil Services to become an IPS officer first and then an IAS officer.
Owais Ahmed
Owais Ahmed, who previously held the position of Deputy Commissioner in Bandipora, is appointed as the Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation. In addition to his new role, he will be entrusted with the additional charges of overseeing the Special Purpose Vehicle for Srinagar City under the Smart City Project and serving as Vice Chairman of the Srinagar Development Authority.
Owais Ahmed Rana, born on 10 July 1988, is a 2014 batch IAS officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre.
His administrative roles include Deputy Commissioner/District Magistrate in Shopian District of Jammu and Kashmir and Chief Executive Officer of Jammu & Kashmir Energy Development Agency (JAKEDA). Additionally, he held the position of Managing Director at the JK State Road Transport Corporation.
Owais, a native of Kalaban village in Poonch, underwent his early schooling at Delhi Public School, Jammu, and Khuda Bakash Public School, Gujjar Desh Charitable Trust Jammu. He pursued his bachelor’s degree in Veterinary Science at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir.
Having joined the Kashmir Administrative Services in 2012, Rana has held various roles, showcasing his versatility. His journey includes positions such as Sub Divisional Magistrate in Marh, Jammu, Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, Sub Divisional Magistrate in Bhadarwah, Sub Divisional Magistrate in Karnah-Tangdar, Additional Secretary in the Finance Department, and Deputy Commissioner in Shopian.
Owais is the nephew of Dr Masud Choudhary, a former Vice-Chancellor of BGSB University in Rajouri.
Athar Aamir UI Shafi Khan
Athar Aamir UI Shafi Khan (IAS:2016) undergoes a change from Commissioner of the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to Deputy Commissioner of Kulgam, while Bilal Mohi-ud-Din Bhat (IAS:2017) transitions from Deputy Commissioner of Kulgam to Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar.
Athar Aamir-ul-Shafi Khan, aged 23, became the second Kashmiri to achieve the position of an IAS officer, securing the second rank in the UPSC 2015 Topper list.
Athar completed his 11th and 12th at Tyndale Biscoe School in Srinagar and later pursued his engineering degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT-Mandi.
Hailing from Anantnag in South Kashmir, Athar Khan, at the age of 23, secured the second rank in his second attempt. In his first attempt in 2014, he was selected for the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) and underwent training at the Indian Railways Institute of Transport Management, Lucknow. However, IAS remained his primary goal, and he pursued it alongside his training.
Minga Sherpa
Minga Sherpa, Additional Secretary in the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat, holding additional charge of the posts of Managing Director, Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation and Director, Information, J&K, is transferred and posted as Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla.
