Former J&K Chief Secretary Moosa Raza passes away

Srinagar, May 09: Moosa Raza, former Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir and Secretary to the Government of India (GoI), passed away in Chennai on Wednesday morning.

Raza, a Padma Bhushan Award winner, breathed his last at his home at: 15/6 Chari Street, North Usman Road, T Nagar, Chennai-17. He had been ailing for some time.

His funeral will be held on Friday at 9 am at: Ameerunisa Burial Ground (Ramrao Bagh),
Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai-14.

On hearing about the demise of Raza, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to the microblogging site X, saying, “Shri Moosa Raza Ji was a veteran bureaucrat who served in various positions at the state and Centre. I used to interact with him and found his perspectives on various issues to be insightful. Post-retirement, he worked extensively on education and learning. Pained by his demise. May his soul rest in peace.”

Besides serving in J&K, Raza, an IAS officer, also served in Gujarat.

He also authored ‘Of Giants and Windmills – An Autobiography’. Raza was also the Chairman of Southern Indian Education Trust (SIET). The SIET group of institutions deeply mourned his death.

“It’s sad news as we have lost a patron who contributed immensely to the country,” the SIET said in a condolence message. “Moosa Raza will be remembered for his outstanding achievements in many fields. He excelled as an administrator, author, poet, institution builder, orator, educationist, and above all, a good human being.”

Raza worked very closely with the late Sayyid Hamid, another IAS officer, and the two set up a trust to promote a University of Science.

His contribution to the construction of the India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC), New Delhi, building would always be considered foundational.

“It is an unforgettable achievement. The entire physical structure of IICC New Delhi had come up during his regime. It is an irreparable loss for IICC,” an official at IICC said.