IAS Shah Faesal is the 2009 topper of the UPSC civil services exam, the first Kashmiri to do so. He has since gone on to briefly become a politician and a niche public figure. In this episode, he talks about:-The effects of the abrogation of Article 370-The link between Bangladesh’s independence and terrorism in Kashmir-His faith in evidence-based policy makingYou can follow him on his socials:Twitter: https://twitter.com/shahfaesalTimestamps

0:00 - Intro

1:39 - Faesal is a Fulbright scholar

5:32 - Lessons from Kennedy School of government

7:00 - The magic of evidence-based decision making

12:05 - Running experiments in policy-making

15:10 - Failure needs to be socially accepted

20:47 - Flattery is ingrained in Indian society

24:07 - What made him leave his service?

26:20 - Is the Lolab Valley really that beautiful?

29:18 - Growing up during the start of terrorism in Kashmir

33:05 - Interference in Kashmir is fundamental to Pakistan’s policy

40:45 - People don’t know the history of article 370

50:15 - A glimpse of post-article 370 abrogation Kashmir

58:00 - Kashmir’s destiny was decided in ‘47

1:01:47 - Why do people oppose the abrogation of Article 370?

1:06:40 - Does Faesal feel like he’s obligated to talk about Kashmir?

1:11:35 - How is working in a ministry different from administering a district?

1:12:14 - Formal education needs to focus on philosophy

1:16:22 - The importance of good mentors

1:18:46 - UPSC is a test of mental fortitude

1:26:45 - Conclusion