By Altaf Hussain Janjua
Jammu, Dec 19 (IANS) The founder and former Vice Chancellor of Shahbad Shah University and retired Additional Director General of Police, Dr. Masud Ahmad Chaudhary, also referred by the name ‘Sir Syed’ and ‘Father of the Nation’ in Jammu’s Rajouri, has passed away. He was 78.
Chaudhary hails from Kalaban, a remote village of Mendhar Tehsil in J&K’s Poonch district. He passed away on December 16.
In his life, Chaudhary did many important and significant works, especially for his tribe. He joined the Jammu and Kashmir Police as a DSP in 1967. After that, he never looked back. During this time, he used his position for the development and welfare of the Gujjar-Bakerwal tribes.
The first and most important thing he did was to start speaking in ‘Gujri’ in the government offices and he took strict measures for this by deciding that if any officer belonging to the Gujjar tribe did not speak in Gujri, he would be fined.
Before retiring after 37 years of service in 2004, he served as the SP Jammu, Poonch, Kathua, Udhampur; SSP Srinagar, SSP Vigilance; CID, Jammu, Vigilance Kathua Range; DIG, Administrator PHQ, After serving in the posts of Director Police Academy Udhampur, IGP, Crime and Railways, he was promoted to the post of Additional Director General in 2002 and retired from 2004. His services at the state and national level were appreciated at the official level as well. He was awarded the Police Medal in 1985, Presidential Police Medal in 1994 and Sher Kashmir Police Medal.
While studying at Aligarh Muslim University, he was influenced by the Sir Syed movement and decided to increase the literacy rate among the Gujjar tribe as well. While continuing his individual and collective efforts during his tenure, he formed the Gujjar Desh Charitable Trust in the 1990s to unify, organise and awaken the Gujjar tribe linguistically, culturally, under which the construction of the majestic building in Channi Himmat Jammu was undertaken, a;lso known as the Taj Mahal of Gujjars.
Under the same trust, an educational institution — Khudabakhsh Memorial Public School was established till Class 12, which had the mission of converting it into a college and then a full-fledged university. Inside the building of Gujardesh Charitable Trust, various related to Gujarbakrul tribes were displayed. There are thousands of books written in languages, magazines, articles, traditional clothes, ornaments, etc., which he collected from all corners.
Dr. Masud Ahmad Chaudhary was also called the ‘Sir Syed’ of the Gujjar nation, who has rendered unforgettable services for the social, educational, economic and political development of this tribe and played a significant role in giving identity to this tribe, unifying it linguistically and culturally. paid
Renowned researcher, writer and former legislator Zafar Iqbal Minhas says that two decades ago, when he was asked about Masud Chaudhry, he said that he was the head of the Gujjar tribe who emphasized the importance of education and today the Gujjar tribe, if ST.
Recognising Chaudhary’s efforts the J&K government in 2004 appointed him as the Project Officer for the basic work of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University. He gave the shape of a magnificent university at a forested hill located some distance from the town of Rajouri. Later, he became the founder vice-chancellor of the same university, which he held till 2010.
Most importantly, he also made efforts to make his native village unique and fully literate. The literacy rate in Kalaban village is more than 85 per cent. Dozens of KAS officers, KPS officers, several judges, doctors, IAS, engineers, scientists, businessmen, researchers, writers and lawyers hail from this village.
Renowned tribal affairs researcher Dr. Javed Rahi said that Masud Chaudhary did unforgettable work for the betterment of the Gujjar Bakarwal community and his services will be remembered for many generations to come.
–IANS
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