Rakesh Chaurasia / Lalitpur

“I was born in a family where daughters are not sent to schools and college. My mother also wanted to study, but wasn’t allowed. However, she always wanted me to get education and move forward.”

This is why for Sana Akhtar Mansoori of Lalitpur in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh, who has secured 27th rank in the State Civil Services examination, gives all credit for her success to her mother.

“My mother is always patient and taught to never lose hope,” Sana told Awaz-the Voice.

Sana Akhtar Mansuri’s story should be read by everyone who feels rlack of resources is a key reason why many of us are unable to make it big in life. Sana comes from a family of modest means; her Farida Begum hails from Jhansi (Madhya Pradesh) and father Sikander Khan works with Lalitpur Municipality.

Sana has done her B.Tech Electrical Engineering from Government Engineering College, Jhansi.

It appears Sana was destined to do big things in life as she told about her extra-curricular activities in her college days."In college, we, a group of friends used to visit villages around the college and  help children with studies there. We would speak to them about their lives with a view that we could possibly help them resolve their problems. We pooled money to buy books for them. I was very inspired by this work. "

Rajni Sahu, Chairman of Lalitpur Municipality honoring Sana Mansoori

Sana said the experience of working with village children motivated to appears for UP State Public Service Commission examinations as she felt, as a civil servant she can help many more such persons. “I knoiw the governments have a lot of good schemes that need to reach the people.”

For Sana, another reason to make this career choice is to “elevate myself to a level that I become an inspiration for girls in my city."

Sana is worried about the growing trend of dowry in the society and the financial burden this makes the girls look like for parents.

"The trend of dowry is growing in our society. Parents who don’thave enough to give a good dowry they have to stop expecting a suitable groom for their daughter, even if she is educated.” She says today the men, who have a government demand up to 20 lakh rupees and an engineer seeks 30 lakh rupees as dowry. “Nobody asks parents about how educated the prospective bride is; they simply ask them do you have the capacity to pay the money to the groom’s family.”

Sana says her aim is to end this evil practice by showing the world that women’s education is equally important.

Sana is clear about her priorities after joining as a civil servant, "I believe that the progress of a country and society can happen if the problems like dowry are resolved." She says she would encourage women to go for higher education to deal with these issues.

“Given a choice, I would like to work education. Women, orphans and transgenders always discrimination and their fight for their rights continue even after 70 years of independence. I want to make welfare schemes in their interest and ensure the benefit of these schemes reach them.”

Sana says the culture of India has kept everyone together. Talking of her town, she says Lalitpur District has the least number of Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. Yet never in her school or college she ever felt she was different from others. It’s because share a culture.”