Dreams unlimited: Meet the man with a vision
PATIALA : Suffering from 100% congenital blindness, Ajay Arora, 34, had seen long ago that he was destined to achieve big. Call it divine vision, but as we mark the World Sight Day on Thursday (October 10), there can be scarcely a better example than sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Dudhan Sadhan, Arora, to prove the power of hard work, focus and singlemindedness.
A 2015-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, who qualified with history as his major subject, he is today an inspiration. A history (honours) from Hindu College, New Delhi, this Karnal native is also an MPhil from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. After qualifying the IAS, he was posted in Churachand district in Manipur for two years, before joining as SDM, Dudhan Sadhan.
HEARING THE PATH TO ACHIEVEMENT
Success, however, was to test him fully. He lacked guidance in preparing for the exam as no special institutes were available.
For the first four attempts at the exam, he did not even have proper study material, and failed to make it.
Things looked up for him when he finally managed to get study material saved in his laptop and purused it through the screen reader. He spent hours listening to books.
Finally, success beckoned in 2015. Before then, digital equipment was not up to the mark, Arora adds.
“In school, we used to record books in audio tapes and study by listening. Now, things are easier, as we have laptops and screen-reading apps. For me, however, the first laptop I bought was when I joined the Hindu College, Delhi, and started exploring ways to join the IAS,” Arora said.
INSPIRATION FROM POETRY
What kept him going through the tough times was Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s poem, ‘Koshish Karne Walon Ki Kabhi Haar Nahin Hoti, (Those who try can never lose). “I love this poem. Each line teaches us to keep trying, even if we have failed,” he added.
On his experiences in Punjab, he says, “After joining as SDM Dudhan Sadhan in Patiala, the first thing I noticed was the drug menace. I have started working to control this menace. Today, we have 10 villages of Dudhan Sadhan subdivision that are free of drugs.”