By OUR STAFF REPORTER
DEHRADUN, 9 Aug: Major (Dr) Mohommed Ali Shah (Retd) has been conferred the prestigious Director General Assam Rifles’ Commendation Card for his exemplary services in Northeast India.
Major (Dr) Mohommed Ali Shah had become quite popular in the Northeast part of India, particularly among all the tribes and communities. He has lived in states like Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Assam, Meghalaya as well as in Sikkim and continues to have fond memories of his time there.
It may be recalled that his grandfather had spent a considerable amount of time in the North East particularly in Imphal during the World War II, while his father had been a staff Captain to Lt Gen JFR Jacob in the Eastern Command HQ and later was posted as Brigade Major to Brig PL Kukreti, a legendary name in the Northeast, who was an IG with the Assam Rifles subsequently as a Major General. Major Mohommed Ali Shah started his schooling from Tenga Valley near Tawang. Major Mohommed Ali Shah’s Illustrious father later came as the GOC, Bengal Area, in Bengdubi who took the Bengal Area HQ to Calcutta under HQ Eastern Command. When Major Mohommed Ali Shah’s father was the GOC Spear Corps, Major Mohommed Ali Shah, then a young Captain had got posted as the ADC to Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah after doing a two-year stint with his Regiment at the LOC in J&K. As ADC to the General officer, who incidentally was his father, was understandably a real tough and challenging task. Yet it was a golden period of his life of immense learning. After Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah got posted to Delhi as the Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Major Mohommed Ali Shah volunteered to stay back in Nagaland with the Assam Rifles. He officiated with the next GOC Spear Corps for some time in Rangapahar and then joined 26 Assam Rifles battalion in Kohima. During the Pre- Induction Training into Assam Rifles in Diphu under his able command, his company lifted the Director General Assam Rifles banner for being the “Best in endurance” as well as” The best overall company”. However, he says the biggest achievement was when all his men returned from Diphu (which is rated by the world health organisation for having the highest casualties for cerebral malaria) safe and sound back to the Battalion. Major Mohommed Ali Shah was awarded a GOC-in- Chief’s Commendation card on 15th, August, 2007, for exceptional devotion to duty.
Soon after he went on to study management from a Premier Business school, IIM Calcutta, since he was completing his Short Service stint later that year. Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah today is the Pro Chancellor of the Prestigious University of Science & Technology in Meghalaya. Even after hanging up the uniform, Major Mohommed Ali Shah used to handle the Northeast corporate accounts while working in the corporate sector including occasionally being invited to judge beauty pageants such as Miss Dimapur and many more. His attachment and love for the Northeast region motivated him to take keen interest in the culture, area, demography, topography, geography, history of the region.
Once Major Mohommed Ali Shah along with 4 other brave heart colleagues lives were spared when they were taken captive by underground militants while serving with the Assam Rifles. Because of his vast experience and knowledge of the Northeast region as one of the leading Defence Analysts of the country, he took special interest in covering the often ignored areas such as the North East region. He is often referred to as an authority on North East affairs and is often seen on National TV.
Major Mohommed Ali Shah has been honoured with a very coveted award, “The Director General Assam Rifles Commendation Card” on Kargil Vijay Diwas by Lt Gen Pradeep C Nair who retired as the DG of Assam Rifles on 31 July. It seems to a befitting and highly deserved honour which stamps his arrival as an authority on North East affairs.
Shah says with excitement that he has been awarded with an Honorary Doctorate earlier, too, and has also been an International TEDx speaker, won best actor and best Defence Analyst awards but this honour awarded to him as a veteran is the highest form of honour he could have ever imagined in his entire life.
