Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 28: Mohammad Shafi Pandit (Retd IAS), former Chairman J&K PSC, has been re-elected as president and Padam SP Varma as Chairman of Youth Hostel Association of India, J&K State Branch in the Triennial election meeting held here.
Members of State Council representing all the three regions attended the election meeting under the close supervision of central observer, K. Subramanayam from Chhattisgarh deputed by National Headquarters of Youth Hostel Associations of India, New Delhi. Elections were held under the supervision of GR Bhagat, former Commissioner/Secretary who was appointed as presiding officer for elections. Soba Ram (KAS Retd) and Shoukat Ashai were deputed as members of scrutiny committee along with Dr Taran Singh, State Secretary.
Speaking on the occasion, Shafi Pandit congratulates the newly elected office bearers and said that the Youth Hostel movement will achieve greater heights under the able leadership of new office bearers. He also said that Jammu and Kashmir state has got lot of tourism potential and YHAI state branch has this opportunity to attract people from across the country and abroad to visit this beautiful state as far as adventure and eco tourism is concerned.
Varma stressed upon the members to gear up for the adventure activities in this Himalayan state. He appreciated the efforts of district teams for their relentless hard work and thanked Mohd Shafi Pandit who is also National president of YHAI which is an associate member and part of the Hostelling International, UK since 1952, which has a network in 90 countries with a total of 4500 youth hostels. He said YHAI has a network of more than 95 Youth Hostels, starting from Leh-Ladakh to the Andeman and Nicobar islands.
Earlier while presenting the secretary’s report State secretary Dr Taran Singh said that J&K has become first state in the country where 5 district units were recognized and received certificates in a single year.
Other newly elected members are JP Singh, Mehmood Ahmad Shah and KK Gandotra – vice presidents, Abdul Majeed Bichoo State treasurer, Dr Taran Singh State secretary, GD Shahmir, organising secretary (Kashmir Province) and Sanjeev Arora organising secretary (Jammu Province).
Members of the Council includes-MS Pandit, JP Singh, Pardip Gandotra, KK Gandotra, Mahmood Shah, Ms Mehajbeen Batt, GD Shahmiri Avtar Singh, Showket Ashai, Hilal Ahmad Khan, SP Varma, Rafiq Masoodi, Shabir Bhat, Dr Taran Singh, PV Rawal, Devinder Bakshi, Amardeep Singh, Gopal Sharma, Anil Paba, Balwan Singh, Ashok Kumar, MS Tandon, Maheshwar Vishawakarma, Dr Rajneesh Sharma, GR Bhagat, Sobha Ram, Ravinder Singh, RL Bharti and others.
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