JKTF Holds Grand Farewell for CEO Mehraj-ud-Din Shah Ahead of Superannuation

Senior Leadership, Civil Society Mark Strong Attendance

Jahangir Lolabi

Kupwara: The Jammu & Kashmir Teachers Forum (JKTF), Sogam unit, on Sunday organised a grand farewell in honour of Chief Education Officer (CEO) Kupwara, Mehraj-ud-Din Shah, who is set to retire at the end of the month.

The event, hosted at Government Degree College Sogam, as per Alfaaz – The Words, drew a substantial gathering of teachers, principals, zonal officers, senior JKTF leaders and civil society members, all united in acknowledging Shah’s long and distinguished service in the School Education Department.

Prominent educational and social figures attended the ceremony, including Ab Qayoom Wani, Chairman Civil Society Forum and Chairman JKTF; Mohd Shafi Rather, Chairman JKTF; and Javid Ahmad Bhat, Provincial President JKTF. They were joined by senior office-bearers such as Muneer Ahmad Khan (Senior Vice UT President), Javid Ahmad Malik (Vice Chairman), Shabir Ahmad Bhat (Vice Chairman), Mohd Akbar Dar (UT Convener), District President Sahil Bashir, Zonal President Bilal Masoodi, Zonal Vice President Irfan ul Haw, Provincial Media Coordinator Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, Sameer Fida (Cashier), Mohammad Shabir Bhat (UT Publicity Secretary), and Sajad Ahmad Para.

Deputy CEO Kupwara Rafiq Ahmad Mir and DEPO Kupwara Mohd Iqbal Shah, ZEO Sogam Mushtaq Ahmad Mir and ZEPO Sogam Nazeer Ahmad Malik were also present, underscoring the wide administrative participation.

Civil society members Gh Hassan Mir and Farooq Ahmad Khan (District President, EJAC) attended alongside senior zonal officers. From the host institution, I/C Principal Dr Imran Ahmad, Professor Farooq Faizan and Professor Kaiser Bashir Tantray added an academic presence. A retired master, Mohammad Ayoub, was also felicitated during the programme.

Provincial members Dr Abdullah, Gh Hassan War and Sajad Parra joined a broad cross-section of principals, retired officials and lecturers, including Retired Principal Mohd Maqbool Mir, Principal Forum District President Nazir Ahmad Khan, Principal BHSS Warsun Payer, Principal BHSS Tekipora Mr. Nazeer Ahmad Najar Principal BHSS Qalamabad Kifyatulla Shah, Senior Lecturer Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, Senior Lecturer Mohd Iqbal Bhat, Masood Ahmad Khan Lecturer Mohammad Tayyub Shah Lecturer District Cultural Coordinator Javid Abdullah and District IMW Incharge Pir Parvaiz.

District executive members in large numbers strengthened the gathering, among them Nazir Ahmad Bhat (VDP), Raja Zakir (VDP), Syed Javid Masroor, Abeedur Rehman, M. Amin Dounposh, Iqbal Showkat Shah, Hilal Ahmad War, Umar Farooq, Mohd Iqbal Khan, Nayeem Uddin Khan, Haji Mohd Ayaz, Gh Mohiuddin Mir, Tariq Ahmad Mir, Pirzada Manzoor, Irshad Ahmad Ganie, Assif Saheen, Mohd Sameer, Tahmeem Tanveer and Showkat Ahmad.

A notable presence of ZEOs and ZEPOs from multiple zones, Shabir Ahmad Badana (Rajwar), Manzoor Ahmad Bhat (Vilgam), Mushtaq Ahmad Mir (Sogam), Nazir Ahmad Malik (Sogam), Ali Mohammad Lone (Kralpora), Reyaz Mehmood Kalgan (Kralpora) and Gh Mohammad Dar (Kupwara), reflected the extensive institutional representation.

Other participants included Ajaz Ahmad Ganie (Ex-ZP Khumriyal), Mohd Maqbool, Mohd Iqbal Bhat, Sheikh Hussain, Ab Rashid Seer, Arshad Mouhdin and Nazir Ibni Shabaz.

Speakers recalled Shah’s career with emphasis on his administrative discipline, commitment to staff welfare and insistence on academic clarity. His colleagues highlighted the reforms he initiated across postings and the fairness that earned him wide respect among teachers and officers.

In his address, Shah expressed gratitude to the Teachers Forum, officers, principals and staff for their support throughout his service. He said any achievements during his tenure were the result of collective effort. Urging teachers to remain devoted to shaping young minds, he stressed that academic advancement must be paired with moral guidance. He also appealed to parents to remain engaged with their children’s learning, emphasising the shared responsibility of home and school.

The ceremony concluded with participants expressing hope that the standards set by Shah will be sustained by his successors, ensuring continued strengthening of educational institutions across the district.