UPSC Exam Topper Raises the Bar, Says She's Yet to Achieve Enough
HYDERABAD: “I have not yet achieved what I want to, probably that will take a life time. The whole purpose of coming to civil service is to help everybody across the country, with any sort of problems,’’ Ira Singhal, the first differently-abled candidate to top the UPSC examination in the general category, has said.
Ira, who was felicitated by the Differently-abled Employees’ Welfare Association of Telangana here on Monday, shared her inspiring thoughts with the gathering. “I am extremely proud to be here, All the wishes and love that people have been showing make me realize that there is so much to be done for the differently-abled and all other sections of the society.
I have been asked to do quite a few things to help the differently-abled. I can’t promise anything, but, will definitely try my best to solve their issues,” she promised.
Dr B Ramesh, national president of the association, said, “I couldn’t believe my ears, when I heard that a differently-abled girl topped the civil service examinations.
In spite of all the physical challenges, to top the exams is a commendable achievement. Being differently-abled myself, I felt as if my own child has achieved this. We felt that felicitating Singhal is like felicitating the entire differently-abled world. She proved that even we can do something for the society. With her achievement, she inspired many other differently-abled people that they can achieve anything.” Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Ramesh said differently-abled employees of the Telangana state and its public sector undertakings were facing a lot of problems.
“We request the government to form a separate commission to take care of all our problems. It’s not always about a pension or jobs, there are many other things that we face in which we need help,” he added. Some of the requests made by the association include reservation in promotions, relaxation in transfers and postings, recognition of the association, issuing of driving licences and tax exemption to all categories of the differently-abled.