IAS officer Khursheed Ahmad Malik retired dies with a huge legacy behind
In Memory of Khursheed Ahmad Malik IAS
23/10/2024
By Javed Ahmad Tak
Khurshid Ahmad Malik, an IAS officer Who died at the age of 77 had been facing spinal cord injury, hence was wheelchair user for 38 years. Khursheed Ahmad Malik - torch bearer of disability Sector was born in Malik family of Sarai Payeen Amirakadal Srinagar in 1948 and brought up by his parents Ghulam Hassan Malik & Hajira Begum. Biscoe Boy completed his higher secondary education from World famous Tyndale Biscoe Higher Secondary School lal chowk Srinagar & completed graduation from Sri Pratap College Srinagar. Mr. Malik qualified KAS in 1972 and later on inducted to IAS cadre on basis of his hardwork, intelligence and dedication. Married to a most gentle and pious woman Ms. Shahida from Mir family in Srinagar in 1972. On 19th of March 1987 when Mr Malik was rendering his services as Director department of planning Government of J&K, life took a hard turn, when around 4 decades back while travelling back from Jammu to Srinagar for annual Darbar move from civil secretariat Jammu, Khurshid Malik along-with his family met a tragic road accident in Qazigund area of south Kashmir. The accident claimed the lives of his brother-in-law and niece and left Malik with a critical spinal cord injury, rendering him immobile for the rest of his life.
Despite the life-challenging injury, Khurshid Malik continued his service in the government of J&K and served in capacities of various designations in the Departments of Labour & Employment, Public works, Flood Irrigation and Jal Shakti and finally retired from Department of Food civil supplies, as commissioner Secretary to Government of Jammu & Kashmir in 2006. Seeking Rehabilitation to live an independent life from UK Khurshid Malik purchased a hand controlled adapted vehicle from UK and started his independent life with the help of the vehicle and active wheelchair. The vehicle was first of its kind in India with Japanese technology. Thus Mr. Malik became first person with spinal cord injury to live an independent life with decency. His life became a model for thousands of spinal cord injured persons to live an independent life with peace and happiness. His unwavering spirit extended beyond his professional duties as he dedicated himself to the welfare of the Disability community in Kashmir through VMS Bemina.
Khurshid had a dream of setting up a well-equipped rehabilitation center to ease out the sufferings of persons with severe disabilities and give them affordable rehabilitation services. With that intention he joined Voluntary Medicare Society in Bemina founded by his brother in law Dr Mir Mohammad Maqbool. Since his affiliation with VMS Mr. Malik became a strong pillar for VMS to initiate care and rehabilitation of Person with severe disabilities. Thousands of persons with spinal cord injuries have benefitted from the services provided by the institution, which continues to offer support to those in need of rehabilitation across the Jammu & Kashmir. In VMS, Malik tirelessly worked on setting up of spinal injury rehabilitation center that is now the only facility available for persons facing severe disabilities.
Khurshid Malik was known for his God fearing personality, supporting needy, person with disabilities, widows, downtrodden. In addition his qualities included punctuality, discipline, dignified dressing, practicality, Trust in others capabilities. He not only maintained his professional life, Social work but also balanced his personal family life. At the time of his accident his Eldest daughter Ms. Shazia Khurshid was student of class 8th, his second daughter Sammiya Khurshid was student of class 6th but his youngest daughter Sana Khurshid was just 6 years old. Mr. Malik rendered his duties as caring father as well and had an eagle’s eye on his daughters’ education. His eldest daughter is an engineering graduate and second daughter completed Masters in Business management and Financial controlled both are settled in USA and working there. The youngest daughter is an ophthalmologist who completed her MBBS and MS in ophthalmology and is practicing in J&K. facing disability gave Mr. Malik a good time to live with caregivers, employees of VMS. He lived in symbiotic relation with all caregivers outside his family. He took care of dependents of care givers as his own family members. One person who always lived close to Khurshid Ahmad Malik is his son in law Dr Fayaz Ahmad, who is orthopedic specialist by profession.
After seeing the rising cases of spinal injury in Jammu and Kashmir Mr. Malik with support of Team VMS created hundreds of awareness camps and out reach programmes. Scores of youth facing spinal cord injuries, amputations, severe neurological conditions and other disabilities got rehabilitated and engaged with basketball sports and hundreds got livelihood units to live economically sound life. With the full time attention of Mr Malik towards the development of voluntary Medicare society, VMS is now providing services like
· Rehabilitation services on affordable rates
· Gym facility for fitness of persons with disabilities and youth.
· Special Education to hundreds of children with different disabilities
· Provision of Wheelchairs, AFO, KFO, Calipers, Braces, artificial limbs and hearing aids to needy persons with disabilities
· Concessional priced medicines to economically poor
· Dialysis for needy patients against Aysuman Bharat scheme
· Hostel facility to the MBBS students on no loss no gain policy
· Basket ball training to wheelchair user youth facing severe mobility disabilities.
· Vocational training to persons with various type of disabilities under karman center
· Mobility training, computer training, life skill training and career development trainings to persons facing blindness and low vision.
Khurshid Malik being a retired IAS official could have lived his life with luxury but he choose to live life for others who suffered same challenges as he faced himself. Thus he proved that life lived for others is much satisfactory than living life for our own-self. He was firm believer of self-respect and support for others to ensure inclusion. The legacy needs to be taken forward and end of life of Mr Khurshid Ahmad Malik should not be the end of the Developmental era for the disability sector. The lessons taught to the team VMS needs now implementation so that the dream of Khurshid Ahmad Malik get practical form and his noble soul can rest in peace forever but he will live with us till the Universe exists through the role of Voluntary Medicare society.
(The writer Javed Ahmed Tak, a Padma Shri Awardee is an Indian social worker. He is the founder of Humanity Welfare Organization Helpline. HWOH Working for the holistic development of people with Disabilities)
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