Jammu Tawi: Indian Institute of Public Administration, JK Regional Branch (IIPA JKRB) was declared as the 2nd best performing branch in the country during the recently held 67th Annual Meeting of the General Body of the IIPA, New Delhi.
During the AGM, A.M.Watali IPS (Retd) and Executive Committee Member of IIPA J&K Regional Branch was awarded Paul H. Appleby Award for distinguished service to IIPA and to the Public Administration in the country. The award was given by Vice President of India Venkaiah Naidu during the AGM. The award has been instituted by the IIPA in the name of Dean Paul H. Appleby, on whose recommendation the Institute was established in 1954. A M Watali is also one the founding members of J&K Regional Branch and is one of the senior most members of IIPA, enrolled as Life Member in the year 1982. Watali is a highly decorated police officer of the erstwhile state having received the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Services, Indian Police Medal for Gallantry and Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Services. Besides, he was awarded Sher-i-Kashmir Gold Medal for Excellence in Investigation. For his dedication and hard work as life member of IIPA, Watali has the distinction of being repeatedly elected to various important positions of the J&K Regional Branch of the IIPA, during his service and also after his retirement. He was elected Vice Chairman, Kashmir repeatedly from 1990 to 2018-19. The other prominent awardees of this year include –D.N. Padhi, IAS (Retd.)Former State Chief Information Commissioner, Odisha, Prof.(Dr.) K. Raman Pillai Ex. Professor & Head, Deptt. of Political Science, Univ. of Kerala, Dr. R.R. Dhanapall, Consultant, State Planning Board, Govt. of Puducherry, Dr. (Mrs.) A. Samanthakamani, UGC Emeritus Fellow 2016-19, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. Dr. Ashok Bhan, IPS (Retd) Patron, IIPA, J&K Regional Branch and Sh. B R Sharma, IAS (Retd), Chairman, IIPA, J&K Regional Branch congratulated the office bearers, members
