Quick Info
| Profession | Former Civil Servant, Doctor, Politician |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | 17/05/1983 |
| Age | 43 years |
| Birthplace | Village Sheikh Nar in Sogam area, Lolab Valley, Kupwara, J&K, India |
Latest News about Shah Faesal
03/10/2025
Shah Faesal was named Central Prabhari Officer for Tulail Block in Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir. The posting marked his continued return to public administration after his reinstatement into IAS service in 2022.
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Bio/Wiki
| Shah Faesal is an Indian bureaucrat, doctor, and politician from Jammu and Kashmir. | |
| He became the first Kashmiri to top the Indian Civil Services Examination in 2009. |
Physical Stats & More
| Height | 173 cm |
|---|---|
| Weight | 70 kg |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
Educational Qualification(s)
| Education | MBBS (Gold Medalist) from SKIMS Medical College, Srinagar, J&K; MPA from Harvard Kennedy School; MA in Urdu |
|---|
Personal Life
| School | Government High School, Sogam, Kupwara (Urdu Medium) |
|---|---|
| College/University | Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Science (SKIMS), Srinagar, J&K |
| Religion | Islam |
| Caste/Sect | Sunni |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Hobbies | Doing Group Discussion, Listening to Music, Travelling, Reading, Writing |
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Married |
|---|---|
| Affairs/Girlfriends | Not Known |
Family
| Father | Ghulam Rasool Shah (a government school teacher, deceased) |
|---|---|
| Mother | Mubeena Shah (a government school teacher) |
| Siblings |
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| Spouse | Name |
| Children |
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Career
| Topped the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2009. | |
| Served as Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora District. | |
| Resigned from IAS in January 2019 to protest against the killings in Kashmir. | |
| Founded Jammu and Kashmir People's Movement in March 2019. | |
| Detained under PSA in August 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370. | |
| Reinstated into IAS service in April 2022. | |
| Allotted IAS, AGMUT cadre (2010 batch). | |
| Served as Assistant Commissioner Revenue in Pulwama. | |
| Served as Director of School Education (Kashmir). | |
| Served as Managing Director of J&K State Power Development Corporation. | |
| Received Fulbright-Nehru Masters Fellowship in 2018 and studied at Harvard Kennedy School. | |
| Serving as Central Prabhari Officer at Tulail Block, Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir since 3 October 2025. | |
| In August 2022, he was posted as Deputy Secretary in the Union Ministry of Tourism. |
Favourites
| Civil Servant | Abdul Gani Mir; a 1994 Batch IPS Officer |
|---|---|
| Politician(s) | Arvind Kejriwal, Imran Khan, Omar Abdullah |
| Film | La La Land (2016) |
| Leader(s) | Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Singer(s) | Kishore Kumar, Lata Mangeshkar, Richa Sharma, Maha Ali Kazmi |
| Music Genre | Sufi |
| History Teacher | Moshik Temkin |
| Poet(s) | Dr Iqbal, Oscar Wilde |
| Book(s) | Imagining India by Nandan Nilekani, Glimpses of World History by Jawaharlal Nehru |
Social Media
| https://www.facebook.com/shahfaesalofficial/ | |
| https://www.linkedin.com/in/shah-faesal-175117142 |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. Shah Faesal, a Kashmiri Muslim, topped the UPSC Examination in 2009, making history. | |
| 2. He hails from Sheikh Nar Village in Kupwara district of Jammu & Kashmir. | |
| 3. Tragically, Faesal lost his father to militants at a young age. | |
| 4. His father's refusal to shelter militants led to his untimely death. | |
| 5. Faesal received his education in Urdu at a government school in Kupwara. | |
| 6. His father taught him English and Mathematics at school. | |
| 7. After his father's death, Faesal's family relocated to Srinagar. | |
| 8. Following his schooling, Faesal pursued MBBS at Sher-i-Kashmir Medical College in Srinagar. | |
| 9. He transitioned into RTI activism in Srinagar post-MBBS, gaining local popularity. | |
| 10. Inspired during his activism, Faesal aimed for Civil Services to serve at a larger scale. | |
| 11. He drew inspiration from IPS Officer Abdul Gani Mir from Kupwara. | |
| 12. Faesal prepared for UPSC without coaching in just one month. | |
| 13. Opting to stay in Srinagar, Faesal prepared for UPSC without going to Delhi. | |
| 14. His success in UPSC made him a notable figure in Kashmir and beyond. | |
| 15. Becoming a top UPSC achiever, Faesal motivated many aspiring civil servants. | |
| 16. He served as the Deputy Commissioner in Bandipora District, Kashmir. | |
| 17. In 2019, Faesal resigned from IAS to protest killings in Kashmir and government response. | |
| 18. He criticized the government for undermining institutions and urged corrective action. | |
| 19. Faesal established the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement party in 2019. | |
| 20. He was detained after opposing the removal of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir. | |
| 21. In April 2022, Faesal was reinstated by the central government, signaling a return to service. |