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| It was thousand miles journey | | |
SHAHID IQBAL
IAS, 2009 (51)
I did my basic schooling, till middle standard, at Government Middle School, Damote (Rehan) in Budhal tehsil of Rajouri district. Later I moved to Rajouri where I did matriculation from Himalayan Educational Mission School with 65% marks and XII from Government Higher Secondary School, Boys, Rajouri, with 74% marks. In 1999 I got selected, through common entrance test, for Veterinary College. SKUAST Jammu, where I completed BVSC & AH in 2004.During veterinary college days I made up my mind to work towards getting IAS, which though seemed to me an uphill task, next to impossible - but I used that feeling as a motivation to channelize my energy for becoming an IAS. I zeroed in on Zoology and Veterinary Science as my optional subject for IAS. Later , in 2004 I wrote the Indian Forest Service Examination, just to check my preparation for IAS exam which I planned to take in 2005. After that I joined the State Sheep Husbandry Department and worked as Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Kotranka, Budhal, awaiting results of IFS and preparing for IAS. Given my right strategy, guidance of family and friends, and above all Almighty’s blessings I got into IFS in the very first attempt and joined the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun for training. Also did foundation course at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie in 2005. At Mussoorie I got the Director’s medal for all round performance and in sports, L M Singhvi Award for best essay on Human Rights and Terrorism, and awards for best photography too. In Veterinary College too I topped the State Level Pramahansa Yogananda Professional Colleges Competitive Scholarship Examination, which provided me recognition as well as economic support for four years in the college.
Later I was posted as Assistant Conservator of Forests, Poonch District, in 2007. There I got the first hand experience of working in the district. Faced with a serious challenge of man-animal conflict in Poonch, I designed and proposed a conflict management project, to WTI, involving the forest fringe dwellers. That paid dividends in terms of lessening the casualties on both sides and gave me encouragement too. So I thought if I could do maximum good to maximum number of people , that will give me more satisfaction. So thereupon I decided to return once more to my IAS aim amd being posted there I wrote the Preliminary examination for IAS in May 2008. Later on I was shifted as DFO Working Plan, Mahore. In October 2008 I wrote the mains examination with Sociology and Veterinary Science as optional, the result of which was declared in March and I was lucky enough to be successful. Later I appeared for the interview in UPSC in I M G Khan’s Board and finally got selected in IAS, in open merit, at 51st Rank.
That was journey, of thousand miles and I was not alone, it would be worthwhile to mention the mentors, guides and all those who mattered a lot in my success story. First of all my parents, father Sh Aslam Din Choudhary and mother Shamim Akhter, who always gave me freedom of choice be it choosing a profession or writing an examination, there was no visible constraint from family side and hence I always felt independent, thus responsible towards my goal. And I credit my overall achievement in life and scoring this milestone to their dedication towards me. Then, my elder brother Mr Zafar Choudhary guided me initially for the IAS during my college days, Dr V S Senthil Kumar, my teacher provided lots of support. I thank all my teachers at College of Veterinary Science, SKUAST, R S Pura, Jammu for shaping my career in a great way. I am thankful for the support extended by my brothers and sister during my education and preparation for the examination. For IAS examination, I would say it would have been rather impossible but for the material and moral support extended by brother Javed Iqbal Choudhary and friend Neena Jeph IRS throughout my preparation. Since being in service it was not possible for me to go places and collect material so my brother extended every possible help even at the cost of his own studies. And my friend did every bit of it till the end. I owe my success to both of them, apart from the indispensible support provided by my father and mother in this endeavor. They were the guiding light for me in this challenging examination.
The journey to IAS marks the culmination a phase of my life, achieving the career target I fixed, and a beginning on a new challenge in the administration. The contribution of my parents, and the teachers in Government schools, SKUAST and the trainers at the academy has borne this results. My brothers and sister had always been a great strength to me and with a longer journey ahead I look forward towards them for an unending contribution now. I don’t have words to explain my feelings, would only recite: “Kuchch Is Tarah Se Hum Ne Te Kari Hain Manzilain, Gir Pade Gir Kar Uthe Chal Diye Aur Chalte Rahe”
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