Anantnag school renamed after Adil Hussain Shah, who died saving tourists during Pahalgam attack

Anantnag: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday renamed a high school here in the memory of pony ride operator Adil Hussain Shah, who lost his life while protecting tourists during the Pahalgam terror attack last year.

Shah was a ponywallah who, along with 25 tourists, was killed in the attack by a group of terrorists in the Baisaran meadows in Pahalgam tourist resort in the south Kashmir district here on April 22, 2025.

The renaming ceremony of the Government High School Hapatnar to Shaheed Adil Memorial High School Hapatnar was presided over by Education Minister Sakeena Itoo, along with Shah's family, who attended the occasion.

Itoo said the renaming of the educational institute was a tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of Shah, who laid down his life while saving several tourists.

"When Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the family to express condolences, he had announced that the high school would be named after Adil (Shah) as a tribute to his sacrifice," she told reporters.

The minister said Shah's sacrifice proved how hospitable the people of Kashmir are.

"The people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the Kashmir Valley, are eyed with suspicion. However, his sacrifice proved how sensitive the people of Kashmir are about their hospitality. No one can forget his role in saving tourists, and this is a small attempt to keep his name alive," Itoo said.