Bhakti Chalak

Adeeba Anam Ashfaq Ahmed Shaikh is Maharashtra's first Muslim woman IAS officer, and here we bring to our readers the story of her inspiring journey.

In April last year,  a news item in the media caught the attention of the people across Maharashtra. History was made that day. The final results of UPSC 2024 were announced, and Maharashtra got its first Muslim woman IAS officer.

 The daughter of an ordinary Muslim auto-rickshaw driver from a small village in Yavatmal had qualified for the examination to join the Indian Administrative Services. The news spread like wildfire, and a wave of joy swept across Maharashtra.

Adeeba Anam hails from the Yavatmal district, which is often in the news for farmer suicides and severe economic hardships. Adeeba's father, Ashfaq Ahmed Shaikh, drives an auto-rickshaw to provide for the family, which includes Adeeba’s mother and two younger brothers.

She was brilliant in her studies and had a particularly strong grasp of Mathematics. She achieved resounding success in both her 10th and 12th board exams, and for further studies, she moved to Pune and graduated in Mathematics (B.Sc) from the Azam Campus.

It was in Pune that she decided to try for the civil services. "If we want to bring about a change in society or solve people's problems, the Civil Services is an excellent medium," she said at the time of her clearing the Civil Services by securing the 142nd rank across India.

On his daughter’s achievement, her father Ashfaq says, "Subah roshanhai, shaamroshanhai.. Zindagi ka nizam roshanhai, Log beton pe naazkarte hain, merabeti se naam roshanhai..." (The morning is bright, the evening is bright... The system of life is bright. People take pride in their sons, but my name shines because of my daughter...). Each word he uttered was said with immense pride.

He further adds, "I never differentiated between a son and a daughter. My daughter has been highly talented since her childhood. I recognised this quality and decided to provide her with a good education. To achieve this, I even fought against my circumstances."

"Adeeba's journey up to this point was not easy," Ashfaq continues. "All of us had to endure a lot of mental stress. We constantly heard taunts from society, but I turned a blind eye to all of it. I never let it affect her education. To educate her and make her an officer was the only goal we had in our minds.

Adeeba completed her primary education at the Zilla Parishad Urdu Primary School in Zafarnagar and schooling at a government institution in Yavatmal.

Adeeba's father was a school dropout, but he resolved that his children should not suffer the same fate. Education was always given the highest priority in Adeeba's family, irrespective of financial hardships.

On an emotional note, Adeeba said, "Even when my family's financial condition was dire, my parents never asked me to drop out. Many people would advise me to take up a job. Many boys and girls around me quit their studies to work, or worked while studying. But my parents never pressured me for a job."

Coming from a small town to a big city and living alone in Pune was not easy for Adeeba. She had to manage everything on her own—food, accommodation, and travel, along with the heavy burden of studies.

In such circumstances, her family stood firmly by her side. "We live in a patriarchal society. But my family never discriminated between a boy and a girl; they raised me with the same love and affection as my two brothers. On the contrary, they always taught me to dream big and fulfil them with sheer determination," she said.

This journey was not without its share of failures. She cleared the coveted examination on her fourth attempt. After each failure, she started all over again.

She joined the Haj House IAS Training Institute and the Jamia Residential Coaching Academy (RCA) in Delhi.

Adeeba shared an interesting incident from her journey.  In the personal interview, one of the panellists asked her about her background and the social issues prevalent in Maharashtra. Specifically, he wanted to know what changes she wished to bring about as a female officer.

Adeeba says consistency and disciplined study played a role in her success. She used to study 8 to 10 hours every day. Reading the newspaper daily and making her own notes were an integral part of her routine.

Adeeba emphasises that consistency and patience are essential to achieving success.  "Giving four attempts to reach my goal was actually a test of my patience. But showing patience every time is not right. Because sometimes situations arise where someone is being wronged and we just stand by and watch; at such times, instead of showing patience, one must raise their voice."

In a message to girls who dream big, Adeeba says, "I want to tell my friends studying in rural areas that no matter what your circumstances are, keep your dreams big. Never drift away from education. What matters more than what is happening in society or around you is how much you focus on your goal. Work hard, stay consistent, and believe in yourself. Success will definitely be yours.

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"Shoot for the moon, only then will you be able to reach the stars... If you want to achieve something, always learn to dream big. And there must be some goal in life. So that even after your death, people remember you for your great deeds."