Multi-dimensional personality described as brilliant professional, passionate intellectual, ardent lover of Kashmiri culture, deeply compassionate human being
SRINAGAR: The Amar Singh Club, Srinagar, held a condolence meet in honour of its member Dr Javid Iqbal, who passed away on June 4, 2026, and announced the institution of the Annual Dr Javid Iqbal Memorial Lecture to keep alive the legacy of the multi-dimensional personality described as “a brilliant professional, a passionate intellectual, an ardent lover of Kashmiri culture, and a deeply compassionate human being.”
Club Secretary Nasir Hamid Khan, welcoming the participants including Dr Iqbal’s family members, said they had gathered with heavy hearts but with profound gratitude to honour a truly great soul of Kashmir. A minute of silence was observed, followed by special Fateh prayers led by Syed Shakeel Qalander.
Describing Dr Javid Iqbal as “not just a member of the club but one of its brightest pillars,” Khan recalled his ability to connect with people across generations, making each person feel valued and heard. He noted that despite suffering from cancer, Dr Iqbal participated in the club’s ‘Common Interest Conversations’ programme in January 2025 with no sign of the pain he was going through, refusing to allow the disease to break his spirit.
Within weeks of that discussion, Dr Iqbal returned to print with a column titled “Debating the Debate – An essay on public space engagement,” in which he wrote: “Debate for evolving a consensus in public affairs is a boon, nevertheless a bane if it results in societal contention. To listen and be listened to is the basic human instinct. Debate provides the forum for civilised interaction… The world we live in is full of challenges. Hence, the need to rise to the occasion and guard public spaces, however limited they might be in internal dimension and external reach.”
Khan announced the institution of the Annual Dr Javid Iqbal Memorial Lecture, stating that the annual event would serve as a permanent forum to invite eminent thinkers, scholars, and professionals to speak on subjects Dr Javid held dear to his heart, ensuring that his intellectual legacy would continue to inspire, enlighten, and guard the very public spaces he urged society to protect.
A special message from Dr Ghulam Qadir Allaqaband from USA recalled that his association with his then-student Dr Javid opened his eyes to the profound worlds of Allama Iqbal, Maulana Rumi, and the vast depths of Islamic history and Farsi literature, noting that during those moments of role reversal, the quiet student Dr Javid became the master.
Rich tributes were paid to the departed soul by Sr Advocate Zaffar A Shah, Saleem Beig, Dr Altaf Hussain, Abdul Majeed Zargar, Syed Shakeel Qalander, Zareef Ahmad Zareef, Prof. Hamida Nayeem, Qurat-ul-Ain, G.N. War, Amir Sohail Wani, Advocate Bashir Sidique, and Dr Javid Iqbal’s nephew Saif Sohail, who remembered his extraordinary qualities of intellect, social service, empathy, his belief in measured debates, command over languages especially Persian, and ability to discuss any subject with authority.