NEW DELHI: Beno Zephine, the young girl from Tamil Nadu, who has made history as a fully visually challenged candidate joining the “Indian Foreign Service (IFS)”, was formally felicitated here on Thursday by Union MoS PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh on behalf of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) in the presence of officers and staff of the department.
Expressing happiness, Singh recalled that when he took over the charge of DoPT soon after the swearing in of the present government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, the department was confronted with a unique and peculiar case of a candidate, who had, despite her visually challenged condition, made it to the merit list of Civil Services Exam by securing Rank 343 and was keen to take up “Indian Foreign Service” as career, notwithstanding the constraints of the prevalent government rules.
On a personal note, Dr Jitendra Singh said, he was highly impressed by the confidence and determination of the young visually challenged girl, whose enthusiasm and zeal to work, had already earned her the title of “Collector” among the residents of the colony in Chennai from where she hailed. He said, it was Beno Zephine’s unrelenting determination which inspired him and all the other colleagues in the DoPT to follow up her case with utmost sincerity and find a way to accommodate her in a befitting slot.
Singh said, Beno Zephine’s appointment has enriched the Civil Services and it is not only a matter of pride for DoPT alone, but also a source of inspiration for millions of Civil Services aspirants across the country.
Acknowledging the honour extended to her, Beno Zephine said, she was overwhelmed by the patience and positive attitude of Dr Jitendra Singh, whom she had been regularly visiting and also thanked all the officers in DoPT, whom she had been constantly bothering for the follow up of her case. She said, she wants to start her new appointment with the blessings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all the elders who have helped her achieve her present position and goal in life.
Among those present on the occasion were senior DoPT officers including Additional Secretary and EO, Rajiv Kumar, Additional Secretary, T. Jacob, Joint Secretaries, P.K Das and Mamta Kundra and M. Sarvanan.