Moosa Raza, former bureaucrat, educationist Moosa Raza dies
Moosa Raza, 88, former Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir and chairman of Southern Indian Education Trust (SIET), which runs several educational institutions in Chennai, died at a private hospital in Chennai on Wednesday. He is survived by his wife Husnara Raza, son Jafar Raza and daughters Shehla Raza, Gazala Raza and Maliha Raza. The last rites of Mr. Raza will be held on Friday.
Born in Meenambur village near Gingee in Villupuram district, Mr. Raza joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1960, after passing his honours in English language and literature from the University of Madras. He served the Gujarat and Central governments in various capacities, including the Principal Secretary to the
Moosa Raza
Chief Minister of Gujarat and Chief Secretary, Government of Jammu and Kashmir. He also served as a member of the National Integration Council of India, after he retired from Government service.
Mr. Raza served Jammu and Kashmir as Chief Secretary (CS) when the region was witnessing an armed uprising between 1988 and 1990. He was tasked by the Centre to operate as the chief negotiator with militant commanders of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front ( JKLF), which had kidnapped the then Union
Home Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed’s daughter Rubaiya Sayeed and were demanding the release of several arrested JKLF leaders.
A well-known social worker, he was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2010. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled his death.
He was widely remembered by local ocers and politicians in J&K on his demise. “Apart from being the Chief Secretary of J&K where he (Mr. Raza) took many steps to reform the administrative system, he built friendships all around and aroused feelings for human values,” former Union Minister and Congress leader Saifuddin Soz said. He said Mr. Raza had a deep concern for the people of J&K. Mr. Raza’s book titled Kashmir: Land of Regrets remains one of the key reference books on the armed uprising Kashmir witnessed in 1990s.