Dy Collector Wasima Shaikh inspires many to dream big

Story by  ATV | Posted by  Aasha Khosa • 1 Years ago
Deputy Collector Wasima Shaikh
Deputy Collector Wasima Shaikh

 

Shah Taj Khan/Pune

Amravati Deputy Collector Wasima Shaikh is an extraordinary woman whose struggle with financial hardships to holding a high position and changing the living conditions of her family is an inspirational real-life story.
 
Her journey has been successful because of her grit, perseverence and exceptional hard work.
Wasima's father was sick and her mother had to find a way to support her family. She worked in the fields and went door to door selling bangles.
 
Wasima Shaikh took over as the Deputy Collector of Amravati on January 17. She cleared the Maharashtra Public Service Commission examination in June 2020 to become eligible for the post of Deputy Collector on June 19, 2020. Due to the Corona pandemic, she had to wait for her training and final posting. When she joined as Deputy Collector, Amravati, her family was elated and people revisited her story on social media pages.
 
     She was born in the village Joshi Sangvi, about 45 km from Nanded district headquarters. Wasima Shaikh studied till the seventh standard in the local Zila Parishad school and later completed her matriculation from Bal Brahmachari School.She completed her graduation from Yashwant Rao Chauhan Open University while preparing for the Civil Services Examination. In her second attempt at civil services, she secured the position of a Class Two Sales Tax Inspector in Nagpur in 2018.
 
Wasima Shaikh says, “Your plans, will power, and hard work done in the right direction play an important role in making you successful.”
 
Wasima Shaikh is the fourth among her siblings - four sisters and two brothers. Due to the illness of their father, the mother took over the responsibility of earning and managing the expenses of the family. Apart from working in the fields, she would go door-to-door to sell bangles.
 
The hard days also saw Wasima's brothers give up their studies to take up jobs to supplement the income of their mother. They were always keen that Wasima continue her studies and achieve her goals. And this is how a supportive family made sure that their difficult circumstances did not come in the way of her chasing and fulfiling her dreams.