Nagpur: Adiba Anam Ashfaq Ahmed from Yavatmal district, with an AIR of 142, topped Vidarbha in UPSC 2024. Hopes are afloat about Adiba making it to the IAS role. Maharashtra hasn’t seen a Muslim woman IAS officer in a few decades.
Adiba took tuition at Haj House IAS Coaching Centre in Mumbai and later at Jamia Residential Coaching Academy in Delhi. Maharashtra State Minority Commission chairman Pyare Khan tweeted about Adiba’s feat. She had earlier appeared for the UPSC interview round but could not make it to the final selection. With her persistent efforts, she has now secured a place in the final merit list.
Other women toppers from Vidarbha include Savi Balkunde (AIR 517), Namrata Thakare (AIR 671), and Bhagyashree Naikale (AIR 737). Jaikumar Ade from Nagpur was a probable topper among male candidates in Vidarbha with an AIR of 300.
Abdul Rauf Sheikh, a former bureaucrat who served since the late 1980s and a top serving IPS officer, told TOI that they haven’t seen any Muslim woman from Maharashtra in an IAS role. “Currently too there is no woman Muslim IAS in Maharashtra cadre. I haven’t seen a woman IAS officer in the last decade too,” he said.
Naikale cracked the exam in her first attempt, relying solely on self-study methods. “I suffered financially, but my parents went above and beyond to give me the space to study. I am grateful to them,” she said.
Another student, Shritesh Patel, who hails from Dhule but studied in Nagpur, secured AIR 746. He could not clear the exam in his previous attempts as financial constraints stopped him from going to Delhi for test series. He dedicated his achievements to his mother, who single-handedly raised him.
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Toppers speak
Shreerang Kaore (AIR 396) achieved the second highest rank from Nagpur. “This was my fifth attempt. I graduated from IIT-Bombay in 2018 and began preparing after college. During my time at IIT, I was involved in college administration, which further sparked my interest in governance and policy making. I expect to be allotted Indian Audit and Accounts Service. There’s an outside chance for the IRS, and if not, perhaps the Railway Management Service. My dream, however, has always been to join the IAS,” he said.
Rahul Atram (AIR 481) had earlier qualified for IPS but wanted the IAS cadre. He reappeared in UPSC while training at the police academy in Hyderabad, his uncle Chetan Masram said.
Savi Balkunde (AIR 517) from Nagpur said this was her sixth attempt and second time reaching the interview stage. “I began preparing for civil services immediately after graduating in electrical engineering. I used to study 8 to 10 hours and pushed it to 12 hours a month before the exam. I was eligible for IAS based on last year’s cut-off, so I hope for a favourable service this year,” she said.
Sachin Bisen (AIR 688) from Gondia said, “I tried my best to prepare for this exam despite the lack of resources and guidance in Gondia,” he said.
Apoorva Balpande (AIR 649) from Nagpur said he has been allotted IPS, Maharashtra cadre, though he is currently serving in IRS (customs & indirect taxes) from his earlier selection. “The dream is still the IAS, and I plan to give one more attempt,” he said.
Saurabh Yewale (AIR 669), a mechanical engineering graduate from Nagpur, said, “My ultimate goal remains the IAS and will definitely appear again. Both my parents are government employees. My father serves as officer-in-charge at Raj Bhavan, and my mother is superintendent at KKSU. Growing up, I had the opportunity to closely interact with bureaucrats and my parents’ network exposed me early to the world of governance and public service. Once I get my detailed marksheet, I’ll focus more on presentation and content in the subjects that need it.”
Namrata Thakre (AIR 671) belongs to Haturna, a small village in Warud, where even basic facilities like a medicine store or proper mobile connectivity are absent. “Growing up in such an environment shaped my views early on. I’ve seen domestic violence around me since I was very young — it left a mark. This was my seventh attempt at UPSC,” she said.
