Overcoming Challenges

“The challenges we face in life’s journey are not to reveal our weaknesses but to help us discover our inner strengths. We can only know how strong we are when we strive and thrive beyond the challenges we face.”

- Kemi Sogunle

Whatever be the situation, never regret. Have faith in yourself, accept and move ahead, success will be yours. If you find a strong reason, why you want to be a civil servant, nothing can stop you

Safin, was born in a poor family in Kanodar village in Palanpur district, Gujarat. His parents, Mustufa and Naseembanu, used to work in a small diamond unit, where their earnings were so meagre that they could hardly make both ends meet. After the recession, his parents lost their jobs. His father started working as an electrician and his mother started making chapattis in bulk for restaurants, marriages and functions. His mother used to wake up at 3 AM and make dough of 20 to 100 kgs flour for making chapattis the whole day. Ironically, she used to earn about Rs.5000 to Rs.8000 per month. His father used to sell black tea and boiled eggs in the evening.

During one of the functions, the District Collector was the Chief Guest. He came escorted by armed bodyguards and was given a warm welcome. Young Safin asked someone, “How does one become a Collector?” He was told, anyone who works hard and clears a competitive examination can become a Collector. That was the day Safin found the mission of his life.

Safin studied in a Gujarati medium school till Class X. He did well in studies as well as curricular activities. After passing Class X with 92% marks, some of his teachers who had joined a private school, advised him to study there. His fees was subsidised from Rs.85,000 to Rs.5000 only, as he was a bright and deserving student. He used to teach poor children of Kanodar village during spare time and also organise cultural activities for them.

A local businessman Hussain Polra and his wife, Raina Polra were so much impressed by the potential of Safin that they spent `3.5 lakh from their own pocket. They funded Safin’s two-year stay in Delhi including the fees of the coaching institute, his travel, lodging and boarding. Safin feels indebted to them as they are not even his blood relations.

Safin Hasan qualified UPSC CSE 2017 with a Rank 570 in the first attempt. After clearing the prelims examination when he was going to appear in the mains examination he met with an accident in which his knee, left hand and head got injured. He found that his right hand was intact, so he took painkillers and went to appear in the examination. Later he confessed in an interview, “I could not take a chance to skip the mains as I might not be able to clear even the prelims next year.” After that paper (GS3), he went for the primary checkup and gave the next five papers in that condition.

Subsequently, he was advised one and a half months bed rest to come back to normal. Safin is eligible to join the IPS, but he plans to appear in the Civil Services Exam next year and make it to the IAS which is his childhood dream. Safin has no complaints in life. He believes that God does everything for our good. He adds, “God gives problems to those who can handle them”. He is grateful to his teachers and regards his parents as his role models.

In a message to the youth, he says, "Whatever be the situation, never regret. Have faith in yourself, accept and move ahead, success will be yours. If you find a strong reason, why you want to be a civil servant, nothing can stop you," he adds.