Breaking Shackles: From Rising Above Disability to Turning Down High Salary; Read 5 Inspirational Stories

Here are the stories of the 5 most inspiring officers who either defeated their physical disability or who choose passion over money to follow their only dream – to clear the toughest competitive examination.

Breaking Shackles: Suraj Tiwari who lost his legs in an accident clears the UPSC Civil Services exam

Suraj Tiwari, 27, a resident of Kaswa Kuravli in Mainpuri district, secured 917th rank in the civil service examinations, has a disability in both his legs and one hand. While returning from his college in New Delhi, Suraj met with an accident at a railway station on January 29, 2017, and lost both his legs from above the knee and his right hand near just below the elbow, leaving him bedridden and completely dependent on his family members.

The tragedy not only took away his ability to walk and write, but it also pushed him into depression. Suraj began preparing for one of the toughest exams amidst the chaos of the Covid-19 pandemic. He cleared the written exam of UPSC in his first attempt but fell short by a few marks for the interview. In his second attempt, he cracked the exam.

Used to Study Under Lamp: Inspiring Tale of IAS Anshuman Raj

Anshuman did not live a luxurious life. He was born in a small village in Bihar’s Buxar district. He graduated from JNV Ranchi with a class 12 diploma. He attended Jawohar Navodaya School till class 10. According to media reports, he used to study under a kerosene lamp till class 10. Due to his family’s financial difficulties, Anshuman didn’t have many luxuries while he was growing up, but he overcame all of his obstacles with the aid of his tenacity and his parents’ encouragement. In the 2019 UPSC Civil Services Examination, he secured an All India Rank of 107.

Determination Defeats Disability: Wheelchair-Bound Sherin Shahana TK Secures 913th Rank

Emerging victorious in the civil services examinations was a bigger deal for 26-year-old Sherin Shahana TK than crossing seven seas. A resident of Kambalakkad village in Kerala’s Wayanad district, Sherin Shahana TK, who secured 913th rank in the civil service examinations, was bound to a wheelchair following a freak accident. Shahana accidentally fell from her home’s terrace in 2017. She was about to set sail for her childhood civil service dream when she took a fall. She spent a year and a half in bed and later resumed her life in a wheelchair.

Shahana’s mother Anima studied until Class 4, while her father Usman, who passed away in 2015, never went to school. Due to financial difficulties, Sherin’s two older sisters had to stop their studies in Class 10, but their other older sister Jalisha continued and is now a Research Scholar in Mathematics.

It is rightly said that people are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within. This renewed the flicker of hope in her and Shahana decided that she would shine brighter. She picked up the thread for her dream. After a fall in 2017, Sherin became quadriplegic. But she was not alone. Sherin successfully completed the UGC-NET examination and returned to her academic career after the tragedy. Months ago, she attended the UPSC CSE Mock test and emerged victorious.

Money VS Passion: Robin Bansal, Who Quit Rs 36 Lakh Job To Pursue His UPSC CSE Dream

The next motivational story is of a 25-year-old Robin Bansal, who quit the handsome salary of Rs 36 lakh per annum to follow his passion — to clear the UPSC examination. It took Robin Bansal, an engineering graduate from IIT Delhi, a fourth attempt to clear the civil services exam. He belongs to the small town of Lehra in Rajasthan’s Sangrur district.

His father Vijay Kumar is a lecturer of Economics at the Government College For Girls in Lehra. Meanwhile, his mother is a homemaker. After graduating from IIT with a B.Tech degree, Bansal landed a high-paying job at a private firm. As per the Hindustan Times report, his annual salary was Rs 36 lakh. Despite having a great package, Robin seemed to have other plans. He was not interested in working for a corporation and instead hoped to be chosen for a government position.

After only a year in the private sector, Robin left his job and began studying for the UPSC CSE exams. It wasn’t an easy journey for Robin Bansal. He first attempted the competitive exam in 2019 and failed. Additionally, he failed the exam on his subsequent attempts in 2020 and 2021. But the 25-year-old’s diligence and efforts helped him succeed. Robin achieved his goal of passing the UPSC exam in 2022 by securing the AIR 135th position.