Meet Adibah Anam, Rickshaw Driver’s Daughter Who Is Set To Become First Muslim Woman IAS Officer From Maharashtra

Mumbai, April 26: Adibah Anam Ashfaq Ahmed, the daughter of an auto-rickshaw driver from Maharashtra's Yavatmal, has created history by clearing the UPSC exam. She secured the 142nd rank in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, the final results of which were announced on April 22. With this achievement, Adibah Anam is set to become the first Muslim woman Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer officer from Maharashtra.

Despite initial setbacks and financial hardships, Adibah Anam did not give up on her dream of becoming an IAS officer. She appeared for the UPSC Prelims exam in 2021 but could not clear it. After clearing the UPSC Prelims exam on her second attempt, she suffered another setback when she failed the Mains. However, she did not lose hope and continued her preparations. In 2023, she cleared the Prelims and Mains and reached the interview stage. However, her name was not featured on the final list. Who Is UPSC Topper Shakti Dubey? All You Need To Know About UPSC All India Rank 1 Holder.

"It was heartbreaking. I had come so far and still didn’t make it. But I told myself I could not stop now," Adibah told a news portal. Undeterred, she continued her efforts and eventually cleared all stages of the civil services exam in 2024. A graduate in Mathematics, she had opted for Urdu Literature as her optional subject due to her passion for the language. "Mathematics was familiar to me, but it is too vast. Urdu, on the other hand, was my strength. I have always loved the language," she was quoted as saying.

Adibah enrolled herself in multiple coaching institutes to prepare for the IAS exam. She received training and guidance from Haj House-run Coaching and Guidance Cell in Mumbai and Jamia Milia Islamia's Residential Coaching Academy in Delhi. During her first year of B.Sc., she joined Pune's Unique Academy, where she was trained and mentored by Jawwad Kazi. UPSC Result 2025 Merit List: 1,009 Candidates Clear UPSC Civil Services Final Exam 2024, Check Names of Toppers and All Selected Candidates.

Adibah comes from a humble background and has had her parents stand by her through thick and thin. "I am proud to be the daughter of a hardworking rickshaw driver. This success belongs as much to my family as it does to me," she told an Urdu daily. She also credits her success to her maternal uncle, Nizamuddin. Initially, Adibah wanted to become a doctor, but Nizamuddin motivated and guided her to become an IAS officer to serve the country.

"He (Nizamuddin) guided me, supported me mentally, financially and encouraged me when I was about to give up. His educational campaign in our locality changed my life. He started door-to-door educational awareness campaigns in Yavatmal. I am a product of that movement," she was quoted as saying. Adibah's journey, marked by struggle, emphasizes that unwavering dedication and hard work pave the path to success, no matter the obstacles.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 26, 2025 10:10 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).