Srinagar, Oct 17: Prof. M A Shah, former Head of the Department of Physics, was elected President of the Teachers' Society at NIT Srinagar on Thursday, securing a decisive victory against Prof. Aijaz Ahmad Mir.
Dr. Sheikh Shahid Saleem, Convenor of the Election Committee, announced that after the voting process concluded, the votes were counted at 5:05 p.m. in Hi-Tech-6 in the presence of numerous faculty members.
"According to the preferential voting system, Prof. M A Shah received 398 points, while Prof. Aijaz Ahmad Mir secured 257 points. Therefore, Prof. Shah has been elected as President of FANITS," he stated.
The Teachers' Society, established in 1986 and recognized by the Board of Governors of NIT Srinagar, focuses on the welfare of both teachers and students. Elections were conducted on October 14, 2024, in line with the society's bylaws.
Prof. Shah, known for his humility and simplicity, won with a significant margin and enjoys wide popularity among students and faculty alike.
Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. Ravinder Nath, congratulated Prof. Shah and his team, expressing confidence that under Shah’s leadership, the society would address key issues benefiting both the institution and its stakeholders.
Prof. Shah and his team held a detailed discussion on various concerns during a meeting in the institute's committee room. Non-Teaching President Mr. Bashir Ahmad Sheikh also joined the gathering for a tea party hosted by the Director.
Prof. Shah, who began his career on September 11, 1999, as a lecturer at the erstwhile Regional Engineering College (now NIT Srinagar), has worked tirelessly over the past 25 years to make meaningful contributions to society, especially in the Kashmir Valley.
Early in his career, he authored Laboratory Physics (Lab in Sky), a publication highly appreciated by academic leaders and students alike.
In 2003, he received the prestigious INSA Fellowship and was appointed Member-Secretary of the Central Instrumentation Committee (now CRF), where he played a pivotal role in securing advanced equipment for the institute.
In 2005, he became the first faculty member to commission a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), funded by the World Bank, marking a significant milestone for the institution.
His journey continued with numerous accolades and initiatives, including receiving training in nanotechnology under the Sheikh Saqr Fellowship at JNCASR, Bangalore, and launching the Inspire Internship Programmes for top students in the Valley under the Prime Minister’s initiative.
Prof. Shah is also credited with introducing the NPTEL Examination to Kashmir and establishing the Nanotechnology Laboratory at NIT Srinagar with a Rs. 2 crore grant from the DST, New Delhi.
In addition to his academic achievements, Prof. Shah has edited several influential books and contributed over 150 peer-reviewed papers.
He has been instrumental in shaping the academic landscape at NIT Srinagar, particularly through the introduction of the M.Sc. Physics program and organizing international conferences on nanotechnology.
Prof. Shah’s extensive contributions to the field of education and science, combined with his leadership at NIT Srinagar, have earned him respect and admiration from his peers.