Ex-Chief Secy Khanday dies, condolences pour in

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 19

Former Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khanday died after a prolonged illness at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar on Sunday night. He was suffering from lung cancer.

Khanday, 63, who is survived by his wife and daughter, was laid to rest in Srinagar on Monday evening. A large number of people, including leaders of political parties and senior officials of the state administration, attended his funeral prayers. They expressed condolences on his death.

Khanday had resigned on August 25, 2015, three months ahead of his retirement without citing any reasons.

An IAS officer of the 1978 batch, Khanday, born on November 15, 1955, served on various key positions before being appointed the Chief Secretary in February 2013 during the tenure of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

He had also served as the Principal Secretary to former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed between 2002 and 2005. He also served as the Administrative Secretary to the departments of Health, ARI, Home, Science and Technology, Public Works (Roads and Buildings), Planning, Forest, Finance and Agriculture Production, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and the Director General, Institute of Management, Public Administration and Rural Development.

Former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti also expressed condolences on Khanday’s death.

“Sorry to hear about the demise of Iqbal Khanday Sb. He was Chief Secretary in J&K & worked with me when I had the privilege of heading the government. My heartfelt condolences to his family & loved ones,” Omar Abdullah, National Conference vice-president, wrote on Twitter.

In a condolence message, Mehbooba Mufti said Iqbal Khanday was a simple person, easy to get along with and totally dedicated to his job. She appreciated the significant contribution of the officer to various departments of the state he had served during his tenure.

Senior Peoples Democratic Party leader Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari also condoled Khanday’s death. He recalled his significant contribution to various departments of the state.

Vohra mourns death 

• Former Governor NN Vohra and his wife Usha Vohra have condoled the death of former Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khanday, who passed away at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar, on Sunday night. He was suffering from cancer
• In a condolence message, the former Governor and his wife have expressed sympathy with Khanday’s wife. 
• “Khanday had worked with Vohra during the Governor’s rule before Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s coalition government took over,” the message read. It further read: “They (Vohra and his wife) have prayed to the Almighty to rest the departed soul in eternal peace.”