KOZHIKODE: Cracking the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination is no small feat. But what makes the achievement of 25-year-old T K Sherin Shahana more impressive is the fact that she did it in her first attempt despite having to relearn reading and writing from scratch at age 22! That’s not all. She cracked the exam, securing the 913th rank, while being wheelchair-bound following a horrific accident.
“Shahana’s life changed in 2017 when she fell off the terrace of our house,” recalled Jalisha Usman, the sister of the native of Kampalakkad in Wayanad. Jalisha said Shahana suffered a serious back injury as well as a broken rib. Her mother Amina said Shahana was unconscious for a month.
But the worst was yet to come. “The accident took place a little after her father Usman had died. Shahana had not recovered from the shock of his passing. That, along with the fall, made her lose her memory,” said Amina. After regaining consciousness, Shahana could not walk or move her hands. “She had forgotten how to read and write and could not even pick up a book.
She had to relearn everything,” Jalisha said. She enrolled in Absolute IAS Academy online two years ago as it offered a programme ‘Chitrashalabham’ for candidates with disabilities seeking positions in civil services. “Shahana is an inspiration for youth across the globe,” said Jobin S Kottaram, her tutor and owner of Absolute IAS Academy.
Sadly, when the results were announced on Tuesday, Shahana was in the operation theatre undergoing surgery for a hand injury that she suffered in an accident a few days ago while going to Kozhikode from Wayanad. Her sister Jalisha shared her achievement on social media.