An MBBS graduate and now the first woman from Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district in Salwah Village who has cracked the coveted civil service exams, Rehana Bashir says that she wants to be a part of the government and serve her country.
She cleared the exam in her second attempt; she took the first exam in 2017. “It was not easy for me to take the stress, but my brother, who is already into administration, guided me. There were instances when I questioned myself about my decision, but friends and family members reminded me of my ultimate goal in life,” she says.
Rehana is an MBBS graduate from Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. Her brother Amir Bashir is already working with the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).
“While I was doing an internship in November 2016, I realized that I can serve people better by taking part in governance. While I was in college, my world was confined into books, but once I started working, I could understand ground realities, and I realize that I want to do something more than just being a doctor. As a doctor, I can only treat a patient but I cannot solve his problems overall. There are a number of issues which can solve a lot of health problems, such as access to clean drinking water, proper roads, good food, cleanliness, health and hygiene, and so on. With this job, I will be able to serve people better,” she says.
Amid the political wave of former IAS topper, Shah Faisal’s People’s Party, Rehana thinks that she wants to bring change in the society, execute government policies in the country and not just Kashmir.
“I will happily work in any state of our country and I am not restricted only to Kashmir. I want to serve my country first,” she says.
As soon as a project will be given to Rehana, she plans to read about the area, know the ground realities, become a part of policy implementation. “I want to know my duties, fulfil my responsibilities, and act as per the demand of the situation,” she adds.