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Shah Faesal (IAS) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 14, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth17 May 1983

Age41 Years (as of 2024)

BirthplaceSheikh Nar village, Sogam area, Lolab Valley, Kupwara, J&K, India

ProfessionFormer Civil Servant (IAS), Doctor (Physician), Politician

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

FamilyFather - Ghulam Rasool Shah (government school teacher, killed in 2002); Mother - Mubeena Shah (government school teacher); Brother - Shah Nawaz; Sister - Talat Shah; Son - 1

Shah Faesal (IAS) Biography

Shah Faesal is a physician-turned-civil servant and politician from Kupwara, Jammu & Kashmir. He rose to national prominence after topping the 2009 UPSC考试,

Early life and background
Shah Faesal was born on 17 May 1983 in Sheikh Nar village in the Sogam area of Lolab Valley, Kupwara district, Jammu & Kashmir. He grew up in a family of government school teachers; both his parents worked in education. His father, Ghulam Rasool Shah, was killed by unidentified militants in 2002 when Faesal was 19. Following that tragedy the family moved from Kupwara to Srinagar.

Faesal completed his schooling at the Government High School in Sogam, an Urdu-medium institution. He went on to study medicine at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar and holds an MBBS degree. He identifies as Indian by nationality and practices Islam; the excerpt notes his Sunni background.

Career
After qualifying as a physician, Shah Faesal became active as a citizen using the Right to Information (RTI) mechanism in Srinagar. His RTI work led him to consider service to the country on a broader scale, and he decided to prepare for the Indian Administrative Service.

In 2009 Faesal achieved nationwide recognition by becoming the first Kashmiri Muslim to top the UPSC Civil Services Examination. He prepared for the exam while remaining in Srinagar, taking a single attempt and studying without formal coaching. His success made him a prominent example for UPSC aspirants across the region and the country, and he began delivering motivational talks to students pursuing the civil services.

After joining the Indian Administrative Service in the 2009 batch, he was allotted the Kashmir cadre. During his tenure he served in administrative roles including as Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora district in the Kashmir Valley.

Politics and later developments
In January 2019 Faesal resigned from the IAS; his public statement cited protest against continuing violence in Kashmir and what he described as insufficient engagement from the central government. In March 2019 he launched a political party called the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM), and the party drew attention when student leader Shehla Rashid joined its ranks.

Following the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status, Faesal was detained under the Public Safety Act after being prevented from boarding a flight from Delhi and returned to Srinagar.

In April 2022 the central government reinstated him to service after a three-year absence. Later that year, in September 2022, he received a posting to the Union Ministry of Culture. The excerpt notes that since the reinstatement he had stepped away from active politics and indicated a willingness to resume civil service work.

Public profile
Faesal’s rise from a remote village to top the UPSC examination and enter the IAS made him a high-profile figure both within Jammu & Kashmir and nationally. He has been described as a role model for aspirants and has cited civil servants and politicians he admires. His listed interests include group discussions, music, travel, reading and writing, and he has named films, singers and books that he favors.

Personal life
The excerpt records that Shah Faesal is married and has one son; his spouse’s name is not provided. His family includes a younger brother, Shah Nawaz, who is a doctor, and a younger sister, Talat Shah, who works as a library assistant. His mother, Mubeena Shah, is a government school teacher.

Controversies
During his public life, Faesal drew criticism on several occasions for statements and actions that attracted official or public censure. These include reactions to social media posts, public comparisons regarding Article 35A, scrutiny over a study leave at Harvard Kennedy School, and debate around his resignation from the IAS to enter politics.

Latest updates
As of the information in the excerpt, Shah Faesal was reinstated to the civil service in April 2022 and assigned to the Union Culture Ministry in September 2022. He had by then stepped back from active political work and been posted within the central government structure.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Shah Faesal (IAS), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM)

Founded a regional political party in March 2019; launched the organization in Srinagar and led its early activities.

2019
Posting to Union Culture Ministry

After reinstatement to the civil service, Shah Faesal was assigned to the Union Ministry of Culture.

2022
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Career Highlights

  1. First Kashmiri Muslim to top the UPSC Civil Services Examination (2009)
  2. Indian Administrative Service, 2009 batch, Kashmir cadre
  3. Deputy Commissioner of Bandipora district
  4. Founded Jammu and Kashmir People’s Movement (JKPM) in 2019
  5. Reinstated to civil service in April 2022 and posted to the Union Culture Ministry in September 2022
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Shah Faesal (IAS) born?

Shah Faesal (IAS) was born on 17 May 1983.

What is Shah Faesal (IAS) known for?

Shah Faesal (IAS) is known for former Civil Servant (IAS), Doctor (Physician), Politician.

What is Shah Faesal (IAS)’s marital status?

Shah Faesal (IAS)'s marital status is listed as Married.