Lacking Self Confidence And Fighting Spirit, Take Inspiration from IAS Topper Differently Abled - Ira Singhal

Lack of Self-Confidence plays a major role in limiting the achievements in the lives of most of us. With the passage of time it becomes part of our personality. As a child grows, it is the responsibility of parents, elders and teachers to ensure that a positive mind-set with Self-belief and fighting spirit is developed and nurtured in the child.

We as parents need to inculcate this attitude of Self-belief and gratitude in our children. This is possible only when we ourselves have a positive attitude in life and are full of confidence. Life is a smooth journey for only few of us. For others ups and downs are bound to come in life. It’s how we deal with the adverse circumstances that will make a difference. And our children are always watching how we are dealing with difficult situations in life. We are a role model for our children.

However the sad part is most of us lack self-confidence. And as time passes by, the fighting spirit in us dies down. Resistance to change and fear of failure stop us from taking on challenges in life. We start following path of least confrontation. We fear that if we fail, others will make fun of us. And to justify our inaction, we start giving excuses to ourselves. We start believing we have valid justifications for our actions.

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And the result is that our true potential is never challenged and never fully realized. Though this may be the story of most of us, but there are always select few amongst us who challenge this attitude of complacency, self-pity and self-doubt. They exhibit immense fighting spirit. They are willing to fight alone and make sacrifices in life. They perceive their goals in their minds and then try their best to accomplish their goals.

These are the people who become role models for others. Their real life situations and how they overcome the unfavourable circumstances that life puts them into catches the attention of those who are struggling in their lives.

So let’s stop cribbing about the unfavourable circumstances that life has put us into and take inspiration from the achievements of one such brave heart. Let’s have a look at the achievements and challenges faced by Ira Singhal, IAS Topper for the year 2014.

This girl from Delhi     has topped the Union Public Services Commission Civil Services exam this year. What makes her achievement even more commendable is that she became the first physically challenged candidate to top the Civil Services Examination, the countries most prestigious examination. She is suffering from a spine related disorder, Scoliosis, a condition in which the spine has an abnormal curving and which disrupts arm movement.

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Ira Singhal is 31 years old. This was her fourth attempt at the examination. In 2010 also, she had cleared Indian Revenue Services examination. But the Revenue Department refused to give her a posting. And one of the reasons cited was that Signal’s 62% disability that affected both her arms would not allow her to pull, push and lift heavy packets – a quality the government felt was necessary for her to be in the Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise).

But Ira Singhal was not an ordinary girl who would allow unfavourable circumstances to decide her future. She moved to the Central Administrative tribunal with her case and after 18 months she got ruling in her favour. “My physical condition has never deterred me from pursuing my dreams” says Ira Singhal. “I want to be an IAS officer. I want to do something for the benefit of physically challenged people. Actually, every struggle teaches you something. There is a possibility of defeat but in life you have to fight on.”

What we need to ponder upon is whether the circumstances that life has put us into are as adverse as this young lady is into. I am sure most of us would have stopped giving similar entrance examinations after failing in our first attempt. After initial failure, we would have chosen other professions which are relatively easy to pursue. And to justify our act, we have all sorts of reasons starting from adverse family circumstances, poverty, and better job prospects in other profession.

The result of such actions is that not only we lose an opportunity to reach our true potential in life but also this failure allows inferiority feelings, lack of confidence and self-doubt to take a permanent place in our sub conscious mind.

I always wonder when the circumstances are unfavourable and continuous failures becomes part of our life, our Self Confidence and fighting spirit is at an all time low. However when the circumstances are favourable and when we are achieving success in most of our ventures, then our Self Confidence and fighting spirit are at an all time high. Point to be noted is we are the same person but only the circumstances have changed. But our mind-set towards challenges changed automatically. Why do we allow circumstances to take control of our destiny? If we realize this and are able to display courage, self-belief and fighting spirit even in adverse life situations the way Ira Singhal did, then nobody can stop us from shaping our own destiny. Destiny can give Scoliosis to Ira or to us on which nobody has control. But despite Scoliosis how do we and Ira Singhal shape up our lives is in our hands.    

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Having looked at the achievements of this brave girl, let’s have a look at the role of parents and the family circumstances, which shaped up the personality of Ira Singhal. Ira’s father is an insurance and financial sector consultant.

“When my brother died, people told my parents that now you only have a girl child. How will you manage? Who will earn for you when you’ll be old? My father clearly told them that he’s happy to have me and I am no less than a son for them,’’ said Ira Singhal recalling the 1994 incident when her brother died.

Ira further says “But more than my dream, it was always my father’s dreams”

I am sure you will agree that will power and determination to fight back in life with full vigour is something we all need to learn from this family. No doubt Ira has got the fighting spirit and never to give up attitude in life from her parents.

I hope this achievement of Ira Singhal becomes a source of inspiration for lot of people. 

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