Raja Danish Munir;
Tahir Azim khan did his Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from University of Agriculture Peshawar. After that he completed his MSc honors degree in Agricultural Extension Education in 2005. He has started his career as Agriculture officer and due to his extraordinary services he has been provided with number of golden opportunities to serve at various positions including Section officer in Services and General Administration Government of Ajk from August 1992- April 1996, Subject Specialist Mass Communication, I/C ESMA Outreach program from 1997-2007, District Program Officer in AJK CDP from 2007-2018, Assistant Chief Planner Industries and Sports Section and Deputy Director Extension Services Management Academy Garhi Dopatta Muzaffarabad AJK till his sudden demise due to cardiac arrest after pandemic Covid-19 infection. He has successfully completed number of projects and conducted various trainings, workshops and campaigns for awareness of local farmers. Most important trainings for the upgradation of poor farmers include: Training on compost making followed by campaign for community members of outreach area ESMA at community training centre Kot; Training on sustainable land use planning for community members of outreach area ESMA at C.T.C Koomi Kot, Social Forestry & Environment Rehabilitation for the members of community organization of outreach area ESMA at C.T.C Koomi Kot; Summer vegetables production for the members of women organizations at community training centre Kot and vegetable farm Chatter Klass, Winter vegetables production for the members of women organizations at community training centre Kot and vegetable farm Chatter Klass; Off-Season vegetables production for the members of women organizations at community training centre Kot and vegetable farm Chatter Klass, Vegetables Seeds Productions for the members of women organizations at Community Training Centre Kot and Vegetable Farm Jalalabad, Budding & Grafting Techniques for the members of community organizations of outreach area ESMA at community training Centre Kot; Training of trainers in Apple Management for the members of community organization of outreach area ESMA, Master training on walnut and apple borer control for the members of community organizations of outreach area ESMA, Post-Harvest technology for apple farming at community training centre Kot; Rural Poultry Production; Rural livestock specialist practical training for the member of village/ women organizations; Nutrition and Primary Health for the members of women organizations, Development of Sericulture in AJK 6 days training program for the member of village/ women organizations. During his visit of United Kingdom he also attended/ participated in number of important workshops and trainings including: the role of UK Country Education College in Rural Development organized by Brinsbury College West Sussex; the role of agricultural extension in rural development, the role of University Library and Agricultural Education at University of Reading UK; A commercial firm and sources of information organized by the University of Reading, in collaboration with Highlands Farms, Wallingford, UK; the role of agricultural extension and rural development department (AERDD) in international agricultural extension and education at UK; International Extension by Commercial Firm organized by ZENCECA Agro-Chemicals, Fern Hurst, Haselmere, Surrey United Kingdom and access to agricultural information, organized by Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau International (CABI) Wallingford, UK. In addition to his extraordinary services he has given the concept of organic farming and practically applied it in his farm house at beautiful Majohi. In small land consisted of few canals he has grown variety of fruits, vegetables and trees of many varieties. Most important trees include Shajar-E-Moosa a tree contains 4 different type of fruits at one plant, Saffron, grapes, peaches, straw berries, oranges, lemons and apples. He was using compost for his plants and vegetables which is made up of kitchen waste. He is the true agrarian of the era as he has practically applied his knowledge at his home. He has also successfully developed Apiculture and Sericulture at his farm house. Number of institutes including Aitchison college Lahore visited his farm house and greatly admired him for his smart work. Due to his successful cultivation of Saffron, PTV interviewed him and greatly admired his innovations in agriculture. During my last visit of his farm house he has told me about his idea of developing Agri-tourism at his farm house in future intended for ensuring better lives through organic farming and promoting the use of organic products. In addition to it he has made an important WhatsApp group of local farmers, agrarians and people belonging to almost all domains named Tahir Organic Farms and provided his valuable services for promotion of organic farming through such vibrant platform. Even after him, his group is still working as the members decided to follow his vision of promoting organic farming locally. Moreover, he was a vibrant person of the society with great wisdom, recognition and political insight. He recently resolved the matter regarding construction of concrete road in his area. In addition to all these qualities he was having great qualities of head and heart. His moral values and social interaction with public was unprecedented. He used to sit with youngsters of the community at Mosque after saying his prayers and frequently discuss the matters of his community. He was a great lover of his soil and had a very clear plan for the development of Azad Kashmir through his innovative and applied advance agriculture techniques especially for the welfare and upgradation of living standards of poor farmers belonging to local community. Words become short when I start writing about such a great personality. He was very helping, generous and kind for poor, needy and helpless people. He died at July 22, 2021 due to Covid-19 infection leaving his 4 daughters and a wife after him. After his death University of Agriculture Peshawar organized a condolence reference in the memory of Raja Tahir Azim Khan for paying tribute to his tremendous services for community and brightening the name of institution. Persons of such cadre born in centuries. His early and sudden demise saddened us all. May Allah Almighty bless him highest rank in Jannat-ul-Firdous