Visually Impaired Kashmir Youth Clears Civil Services Exams, Father Shares Struggle BANDIPORA: The small village of Naidkhai in Bandipora, Kashmir, is abuzz with celebration as Irfan Ahmad Lone, a visually impaired youth, has successfully cleared the UPSC civil services examinations. Children in the Mirpora locality are guiding visitors to the home of the young man, whose achievement has brought immense pride to his family and community. Irfan’s father, Bashir Ahmad, a daily-wage laborer in the irrigation department, has set up a tent outside their modest one-storey house to accommodate the flood of well-wishers. Sitting with his daughter Shabia, a class 11 student, and son Mujtahib, a class 10 student, Bashir recalls the emotional moment when Irfan shared the news. “On Friday evening, Irfan called me from Delhi and told me the good news,” he said, his voice trembling with pride. The father revealed that Irfan sent him the result list via WhatsApp, highlighting his rank of 957. The news spread rapidly through the village via social media, sparking joy and admiration. Irfan’s journey to this milestone was marked by years of perseverance and adversity. Born healthy, he suffered a severe eye injury at the age of four when a boy in his neighborhood accidentally inserted a syringe into his right eye. The incident occurred in 2002, and despite initial hopes for recovery, the damage proved irreversible. The family took him to Chandigarh for treatment, but doctors advised waiting until he turned 10 for surgery. Upon returning home, another tragedy struck: a fellow student pushed him, and a pencil pierced his left eye. The family sought medical help at Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar and later at AIIMS in Delhi, where they stayed for 14 months hoping for a miracle.#irfan_ahmad_lone #bashir_ahmad #naidkhai #bandipora #upsc_civil_services_exams
