Daijiworld Media Network – Chennai (MS)
Chennai, Nov 12: Beno Zephine, a native of Chennai, made history in 2015 by becoming India's first visually impaired woman IFS (Indian Foreign Service) officer. Zephine currently serves in the External Affairs Ministry of India.
Born to a father employed in the railways and a homemaker mother, Zephine completed her primary schooling at Little Flower Higher Secondary School in the city. She pursued her undergraduate studies at Stella Maris College and completed her post-graduation at Loyola College. The unwavering support of her parents, Antony Charles and Padmaja Mary, significantly boosted Zephine's morale, and she never once considered herself disabled.
Beno Zephine harbored the dream of becoming an IFS officer since childhood. Her quest for IAS (Indian Administrative Service) preparation books in Braille commenced early. Zephine credits her mother, Padmaja, as her inspiration. Padmaja diligently read current events from the newspaper to Beno every day. Additionally, she spent hours reading and explaining the contents of general knowledge books, providing Beno with valuable insights. Beno also kept herself updated on global events by listening to English news on television.
Despite the general notion that even partially blind individuals are not considered for IFS, Beno found inspiration in the recruitment of a man with partial eyesight in a revenue officer role. Although Beno cleared the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) exam in 2013-14, her appointment was delayed by a year due to her visual impairment. She secured the 343rd rank in the examination, making her eligible for the IFS.
Beno not only successfully cleared the exam but also delivered an excellent performance during her IFS interview, securing a position in the Indian Foreign Ministry. She became the first woman to achieve this milestone.
Reflecting on her journey, Zephine acknowledges that her disability posed the initial challenge in her life. However, she remained undeterred by societal perceptions and remained steadfast in her commitment to achieving her life goals. Zephine attributes her success to her "never say die" attitude, which propelled her to become an IFS officer today.