In the small village of Mirpora in the Naidkhai area of Bandipora, people kept coming—neighbours, relatives, and even strangers—all pouring into the modest one-storey home of the Lone family to shake hands and offer congratulations.
Soon, the house ran out of space. So Bashir Ahmad, a daily-wage labourer in the irrigation department and perhaps the proudest father in Kashmir that day, did what anyone would do when happiness overflows: he put up a tent in the courtyard.
His son, Irfan Ahmad Lone, had just cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination—one of the toughest competitive examinations in the world. What makes his achievement even more remarkable is that Irfan is visually impaired.
Sitting in the tent with his daughter Shabia, a Class 11 student, and his younger son Mujtahib, in Class 10, Bashir could barely hold back his tears.
"On Friday evening, Irfan called me from Delhi and shared the good news," he said, his voice trembling with emotion. "We had been waiting for this day for years. I cried with joy."
Irfan later sent his father the result list on WhatsApp. His rank: 957.
A childhood marked by tragedy
Irfan was born healthy, but life had other plans.
When he was just four years old, a neighbourhood boy accidentally jabbed a syringe into his right eye, causing severe damage. His father rushed him to Chandigarh, where doctors advised waiting until the boy turned ten for surgery.
But fate had another cruel turn in store.
Before he could reach that age, another accident occurred. A classmate accidentally pushed him, and a pencil pierced his other eye.
"That was around 2002," Bashir recalled. "It felt as if the ground had been pulled from under our feet."
The family first took Irfan to SKIMS in Srinagar, and later to AIIMS in Delhi, where they spent nearly fourteen months. They slept in hospital corridors and clung to hope as doctors performed surgery after surgery. But none of the treatments improved his condition.
Eventually, they returned home heartbroken, their son now completely blind.
Bashir Ahmad earns his livelihood as a daily-wage worker. He is not a wealthy man, but he refused to let poverty decide his son's future.
When he learned about a model school for visually impaired children in Dehradun, he resolved to send Irfan there for education.
What followed was nothing short of extraordinary.
Irfan passed his Class 12 examinations with outstanding marks, went on to graduate from Hindu College, Delhi, and later completed a Master's degree in Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)—one of India's most prestigious universities.
He later secured a job at Punjab National Bank (PNB) and subsequently qualified as an Assistant Administrative Officer at the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC). Yet, he continued to aim higher.
The UPSC journey
The UPSC Civil Services Examination tested his resilience more than once.
Irfan cleared the Preliminary examination in his first attempt, the Mains in his second, and finally succeeded in his third attempt, securing All India Rank 957.
Back in his village, celebrations continue.
Irfan's younger siblings, watching the joy around them, now openly speak about becoming IAS officers themselves. Across the Valley, parents are sharing Irfan's story with their children as an example of perseverance and hope.
"He couldn't see the world," a villager said quietly, "but he saw further than any of us."
17 candidates from J&K qualify Civil Services Examination
Meanwhile, seventeen candidates from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir have qualified the Civil Services Examination 2025.
Those who cleared the prestigious examination include Suvan Sharma (AIR-148), Sugandha Gupta (AIR-207), Towseef Ahmad Ganie (AIR-254), Ritika Bhan (AIR-456), Sooyash Raj Shivam (AIR-572), Muneeb Afzal Parrah (AIR-581), Ghulam Maya Din (AIR-683), Dwarka Gaadhi (AIR-721), Akash Jaggi (AIR-747), Koh-e-Safa (AIR-763), Yassar Ahmad Bhatti (AIR-811), Abhishek Kumar Dhyawna (AIR-820), Pankaj Kumar (AIR-856), Mohd Ajaz-ul-Rehman (AIR-869), Azhar Asif Khan (AIR-886), Mohd Sarfraz Choudhary (AIR-936) and Irfan Ahmad Lone (AIR-957).
Another successful candidate, Towseef Ahmad Ganie from Puchal village in Pulwama, is the son of a labourer. He overcame numerous hardships and financial struggles to achieve this milestone. Despite limited resources, his determination, hard work and dedication helped him succeed in one of the most competitive examinations in the country.
Ganie is a veterinarian and has been posted in Poonch for the last two years.
Suvan Sharma, son of Dr T. R. Raina, former Head of Department of Blood Bank at GMC Jammu, and Nirmal Sharma (Retd IAS), is currently serving in the Indian Railway Management Service (IRMS). He had earlier qualified the Assistant Director Cooperatives examination and the JKPS twice. He is scheduled to marry an IAS officer of the Telangana cadre next week.
Sugandha Gupta, daughter of Virender Gupta (JKAS) and Anjana Gupta, a resident of Shakti Nagar, Jammu, achieved the feat in her very first attempt. Speaking to Excelsior, she attributed her success to consistent hard work, discipline and focused preparation.
Ritika Renu Bhan (AIR-456), a Kashmiri Pandit, originally hails from Shopian district in south Kashmir.
Akash Jaggi, son of Daleep Jaggi (retired principal) and brother of DySP Shivam Jaggi, is a resident of Mohalla Khorinar in Poonch.
Dr Koh-e-Safa (AIR-763) is the daughter of Mehmood Chowdhary, Principal and Sessions Judge, while Mohd Ajaz-ul-Rehman (AIR-869) is the son of former MLA Poonch Shah Mohd Tantray.
Muneeb Afzal Parrah (AIR-581) is a resident of Krandigam, Bijbehara, in Anantnag district.
