With her family’s support, Farah Hussain passed India’s toughest exam, the UPSC, in 2016 at the young age of 26, securing the 267th rank.
Success is the result of determination and self-confidence, as IAS Farah Hussain has shown. Growing up in a Muslim family in the Jhunjhunu area of Rajasthan, Farah Hussain broke stereotypes that suggest Muslim girls receive limited education and are often married off at a young age. With her family’s support, Farah passed India’s toughest exam, the UPSC, in 2016 at the young age of 26, securing the 267th rank.
With this achievement, Farah became the second Muslim IAS officer from Rajasthan. By passing the UPSC exam without any coaching, she set an inspiring example for millions of young people. Aslam Khan from Jaipur was the first Muslim to join the All India Services. Farah succeeded in her second attempt.
Farah was born in Nawa village in Jhunjhunu district. Even as a young girl, she was determined and came from a family of administrative officers from the Kayamkhani Muslim minority community, primarily found in the districts of Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Churu, Nagaur, and Bikaner in central and northern Rajasthan.
Farah Hussain graduated from Government Law College, Mumbai, where she studied law and became a criminal lawyer. As a young girl, Farah participated in a beauty competition and dreamed of becoming a doctor.
Her father, Ashfaq Hussain, was a District Collector. Her elder brother is a lawyer in the Rajasthan High Court. One of her uncles served in the police force, and another held the position of Joint Secretary in the state government. Two of her cousins are currently officers in the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS). In her family, more than 14 members hold top positions.
Right from the beginning it was there in the family that Farah Hussain too have to go in the same field. Seeing her father and the family atmosphere she too decided to become an IAS officer and serve India.
Farah Hussain once said, “I am really glad that I was born in a well educated family. My father always said that for a person to attain anything big he must attain education. Education is real wealth and with its help a person can attain great heights in life. It is sad that Muslim parents do not give attention to their daughter’s education. We Muslims blame the government for everything but we don’t try hard enough ourselves to attain our right.”
The officers in the family are:
- Liaquat Khan, IPS: Liaquat Khan was selected as RPS in the year 1972. After getting promoted, he became IPS and retired from the post of IG. He was also the chairman of the Waqf Board. He passed away in 2020.
- Ashfaq Hussain, IAS: Ashfaq Hussain, younger brother of former IPS Liaquat Khan, was selected as RAS in 1983. In 2016, he got promotion as IAS. He has also been the special government secretary in the education department, Dausa district collector and Dargah Nazim. He retired in 2018.
- Zakir Khan, IAS: Following the path of elder brothers Liaquat Khan and Ashfaq Hussain, Zakir Khan also became IAS directly in 2018. At present, he is a collector in the district Sriganganagar.
- Shaheen Khan, RAS: Shaheen Khan, son of Liaquat Khan, is a senior RAS officer. Presently posted as Chief Medical Officer. Earlier, he has aslo been Ashok Gehlot’s OSD (Officer on Special Duty).
- Monica, DIG jail: Shaheen Khan’s wife Monica is also an officer. She was selected as jail superintendent. Monica was working as DIG Jaipur.
- Shakib Khan, Brigadier, Indian Army: Liaquat Khan’s nephew Shakib Khan is a Brigadier in the Indian Army. Currently, he is posted in Hisar.
- Salim Khan, RAS: Liaquat Khan’s nephew Salim Khan is a senior RAS officer. He is working in Jaipur on the post of Deputy Secretary, Education.
- Shana Khan, RAS: Senior RAS officer Salim Khan’s wife Shana Khan is also an RAS officer. These Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan are posted in Jaipur.
- Farah Khan, IRS: Farah Khan followed in her father’s footsteps and went a step ahead of him. In the year 2016, he got 267th rank at All India level. Then she also got the distinction of being the second Muslim woman from Rajasthan to become an IAS. Presently Farah is posted in Jodhpur.
- Qamar Ul Zaman Choudhary, IAS: Qamar-ul-Zaman Chaudhary, husband of IAS officer Farah Khan, is also an IAS of Rajasthan cadre. They are originally from Jammu and Kashmir. Presently working in Jodhpur.
- Javed Khan, RAS: RAS officer Salim Khan’s brother-in-law Javed Khan is also RAS. He is serving as PS to Minister Saleh Mohammad in Jaipur.
- Ishrat Khan, Colonel: Indian Army Brigadier Shabik’s sister Ishrat Khan is a colonel in the Indian Army. 17 years ago, he was commissioned in the Indian Army in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After getting promoted, she became a colonel.
(Inputs from One India Hindi)
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