Jailed separatist leader Shabir Shah’s daughter tops CBSE Class XII in J&K

A student of Humanities, Sama said it was excruciating that her father was not with her at this time of celebration.

Sama secured 97.8 per cent marks in the exam

The daughter of incarcerated separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, who is lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail in connection with a terror funding case, has topped the CBSE Class XII examinations in Jammu and Kashmir. Sama, a student of Delhi Public School (DPS) in Srinagar, secured 97.8 per cent marks in the examination, the results for which were announced on Saturday.

Jammu Kashmir Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) leader, Shabir Shah was arrested by the National Investigation Agency on July 26, 2017, in a terror funding case.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti congratulated the 19-year-old student and called her an “inspiration” for the youth in the state.

“Congratulations to Sama Shabir for securing 97.8% marks in the class 12 examinations. Her hard work & determination has helped her overcome all odds and she is truly an inspiration for youth of our state,” the chief minister tweeted.

PWD minister Naeem Akhtar also took to twitter to congratulate Sama.

“Truly inspiring for all our children. Education, excellence is the answer to our woes of disempowerment. Congrats,” Akhtar posted.

Attributing her success to the “guidance” from her jailed father, Sama told The Sunday Express: “I attribute it to my father only for being a source of inspiration, for being an idol for me. And my mother, for being source of strength for me. She has given us the strength that I have today and because of her I was able to study. I was not in depression because of my mother, because she was herself so strong.”

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“I am very proud of my father. He has spent 31 years in prison. So this one year wouldn’t have affected my studies,” she said, adding that she had to top the exam to make her father proud.

“It was tough to stablise. But I thought if it affects me, it would be bad for him. I took it as a positive point. I am proud daughter and I would be making him proud even if he is in Tihar (jail).”

A student of Humanities, Sama said it was excruciating that her father was not with her at this time of celebration.

“At a time when the whole of India knows about it (my result), my father doesn’t know anything about it… (when) he should have been the first to know of it,” she said.

Bashaarat Masood

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More