Visually impaired Kashmir youth cracks civil companies, daily-wager father recounts years of battle
BANDIPORA: There is festivity within the Mirpora locality of Naidkhai village in Bandipora, Kashmir, as kids information guests to the house of Irfan Ahmad Lone, a visually impaired youth who has cleared the UPSC civil companies examinations.As their modest one-storey home is unable to accommodate the stream of individuals pouring in to congratulate, Irfan’s father Bashir Ahmad, a daily-wage labourer within the irrigation division, has arrange a big tent within the garden outdoors the home to welcome company.Sitting contained in the tent along with his daughter Shabia, a category 11 scholar, and son Mujtahib, who research at school 10, Bashir is overwhelmed with emotion as he says: “On Friday evening, Irfan called me up from Delhi and shared the happy news. We had been waiting for this day for years. I just cried with joy.”The proud father mentioned Irfan despatched him the outcome checklist on WhatsApp, exhibiting his rank of 957. The information shortly unfold within the village by social media.The success and celebration got here after years of battle and adversity. Irfan, his father mentioned, was born wholesome. At the age of 4, a boy within the neighbourhood by accident inserted a syringe into his proper eye, severely damaging it.“It happened sometime in 2002. I took him to Chandigarh, where doctors said he could be operated upon when he reaches 10. We returned and admitted him to a school,” he mentioned. “But, another tragedy struck. A fellow student pushed him and a pencil stuck his other eye.”The household first took Irfan to Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar and later to AIIMS in Delhi. “We stayed at AIIMS for 14 months hoping he would regain his eyesight,” Bashir mentioned. “Even after several surgeries, nothing changed and we returned home heartbroken.”Back within the village, many individuals suggested Bashir to confess Irfan to a particular faculty for visually impaired kids in Srinagar. “I went there, but my heart sank on seeing its poor condition,” he mentioned.Later, he heard about Model School for the Visually Handicapped in Dehradun. Determined to teach his son, Bashir obtained him enrolled there, though it took a 12 months.Irfan handed class 12 from the college with distinction and later graduated from Hindu College in Delhi. He then did his grasp’s in political science from JNU. He obtained a job at PNB, and labored for about 18 months earlier than he certified as an assistant administrative officer in LIC and was posted in Delhi.In his first try on the civil companies exams, Irfan cleared the prelims. The second time, he made it by the mains, and at last certified within the third try.Bashir mentioned he used to go to Dehradun 4 occasions a 12 months to see his son. “I even had to sell land to support his education. Those were tough times, but tough times don’t last,” Bashir mentioned. Now, even his youthful sister and brother dream of changing into IAS officers.Villagers say Irfan’s achievement has impressed not simply his siblings however the kids of total Kashmir.
