Visually Impaired IAS Officer Takes Charge In Kerala

A visually impaired person has become an IAS officer, thus becoming an inspiration for many. Recently, Pranjal Patil joined as the assistant collector of Ernakulam district, Kerala.

Born with weak eyesight, Pranjal lost her vision at the age of six

The 30-year-old is a resident of Ulhasnagar near Mumbai. Not letting her disability determine her future, Patil succeeded in achieving her dream of becoming an IAS officer.

Patil had cleared the UPSC exams in the first attempt. Later, she was offered a job in the Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS), but her 100% blindness came in the way and the railways refused her appointment.

“After the railways’ refusal, I was disappointed, but not ready to give up the fight. I again worked hard to improve my ranking in the second attempt,” Patil said, Hindustan Times reported.

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Becoming assistant collector

Cracking the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam again in her second attempt, Pranjal joined as assistant collector at Ernakulam district in Kerala a week ago. Since then, she has been busy with media interaction.

“Everyone is fascinated by my achievement, but I do not think one should consider blindness as an obstacle,” she said

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Her advice to the railways

“The doors of opportunity should be open to all and not restricted to physical limitations.”

Patil lost her vision when her eyes were exposed to direct sunlight. A political science graduate, she completed her master’s in international relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi, followed by an MPhil and PhD.

An admirer of physicist Stephen Hawking, Pranjal is married to Kunal Patil, a businessman from Dombivli

“Currently it is my training period as assistant collector. I am learning about various departments and their functions. There are many challenges ahead of me,” Patil said. She has met officials from various departments to understand her role better.

“Although Kerala and Maharashtra are coastal regions, they are culturally and linguistically very different. People in Kerala are more aware of laws and politics,” Patil said. She secured the 124th rank in UPSC 2017.

Message to civil service aspirants

"Have faith in yourself. Don't listen to any negative comments, but please be open to criticism. However, don't get bogged down by criticism. Things may take time to get the desired outcome but we shouldn't give up," is her advice to IAS aspirants.

Feature  Image Credits: India Today

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