Mufti Nazimuddin: A tribute to an officer par excellence

By: Irfan Ali Shah

You were so brave and I continued to pray, but then came today, when the angels took you away.

Mufti Nazim sahib was a gentle, dignified human being with a vision and deep acumen. A thorough forestry professional, he served in the J&K Forest Department in various capacities and contributed a lot as a forest officer par excellence. The forest employees were very dear to him & he had mastered the genic oratory skills. He was also the founder of ‘Save Srinagar Front’ and was cousin brother of Grand Mufti of Kashmir Nasir-ul-Islam.

Mufti Nazimuddin (70) was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Srinagar after he was tested positive for COVID-19 a week ago. He breathed his last today afternoon. He had contested the assembly elections unsuccessfully in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in 2008 from Hazratbal constituency. I remember when in the year 2011-2012, I was working as ACF in Langate Forest Division, Kupwara & Hakim Mukhtar Ahmad sahab as DFO Soil Conservation Division, Pohru Project, Langate invited me and then DFO Langate Tawheed Deva Sb for dinner in his forest residence (probably it was the first non official dinner invite from a veteran forest officer). As I entered the Forest Hut, the ambience, plan & tranquility and the hot Hammam appealed to my heart & I inquired about its construction.

Mufti Nazim sb was a legend. His name was always taken with pride and respect in the gatherings of forest officers. I had the honour of meeting this legend in 2018 during the farewell party of my mentor Nisar Ahmad sb, then Adll. Principal Chief Conservator of Forests/Chief Conservator of Forests Kashmir where both old, retired and new forest officers had come to bid adieu to CCF Kashmir in a plush Forest Hut overlooking the famed Dal Lake at Chesmashahi.

He was wearing a dark ceremonial bandgala coat, one of his favourites with well-maintained physique, prominent moustache with cylindrical spectacles donning the ever glowing confidant face. He interacted in person at length on different facets of forestry management of Kashmir forests and also spelt out his wisdom to me on the technicalities of the subject. He advised that Sons of Soil have greater responsibility towards the society. I will never forget his guidance, his wisdom he shared with me. Infact I grew much more in forest sector during that interaction & the subsquent ones, than years of study & service put together.

What a persona & noble soul he was…!

May Almighty grant him a place in paradise. Ameen!

A thousand words won’t bring you back, I know, because I have tried. Neither will a thousand tears, I know because I have cried….!

Rest in Peace!

The writer is Conservator of Forests, Central Circle, Forest Department, J&K