Ishfaq Kayamkhani/Jaipur

In the recent administrative reshuffle in Rajasthan wherein 57 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers were given new postings, Zakir Hussain became the district magistrate of Sriganganagar.

Zakir Hussain’s name immediately brings to mind of all those who know about Rajasthan the image of a family that has many of its members in the top echelons of the administration. His family is thus called the ‘family of administrators.’

Zakir Hussain’s elder brother Ashfaq Hussain, a resident of Nua village in Jhunjhunu district has also served as District Collector of Dausa.

Their other elder brother Liaquat Ali Khan has retired as an Inspector general of Rajasthan Police.

His niece Farah is an officer of the Indian Revenue Service and her husband Qamar Chaudhary is an IAS.

Besides, his nephews Salim Khan and Shaheen Ali Khan and the former’s wife Sana Khan are all Rajasthan Civil Services officers. Shaheen Khan is married to Monica, who is a high profile prison officer.

Apart from this, Javed Ali, a close relative of the family, is a senior officer of Rajasthan Administrative Service and Ejaz Nabi Khan is member of the Rajasthan Account Service.

Shaheen Ali Khan is also the present President of Rajasthan Administrative Service Officers Union.

Besides administrative services, Zakir Hussain's family members and close relatives have also been posted on the top post in the Indian Army.

Besides Zakir Khan, in the recent reshuffle, Umardeen Khan of the minority community is already posted in the post of Jhunjhunu District Collector.

There are a few Muslims from Rajasthan in the Indian Civil Services yet none of them had been allocated home cadre.

Among the Muslim officers serving Rajasthan, Salauddin Ahmed, IAS, has retired from the post of Chief Secretary. Kamar Jama Chaudhary is currently posted in JDC in Jodhpur and Junaid Jhalawar on the post of Sub Divisional Officer.

Another IAS Additional Athar Aamir Khan from Kashmir has been allocated Rajasthan cadre and has recently been posted in Kashmir on deputation.

Rajasthan has 11-12 per cent Muslim population

Muslim IAS officers of Rajasthan cadre are, Qamar Jama Chaudhary, Atar Aamir and Mohammad Junaid. Those who belong to the state services and got promoted to IAS cadre are JM Khan, AR Khan, MS Khan, Shafi Mohammad Qureshi, Ashfaq Hussain, Mohammad Hanif, Umardeen Khan and Zakir Hussain.

In addition to all these, Iqbal Khan and Rashmi Iqbal Pahariyan are expected to be promoted to the IAS cadre