Farah Hussain: The Inspiring Journey of an IAS Officer from Rajasthan

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is known as one of the most challenging competitive exams in India, attracting millions of candidates each year who aspire to succeed. Unfortunately, due to its vast syllabus and intense competition, only a small number of students manage to pass all three stages of the civil services exam. Those who do succeed often become inspirations for other candidates. One such individual is Farah Hussain, who successfully cleared the UPSC and became an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. Farah Hussain achieved an All India Rank of 267 in the UPSC exam during her second attempt in 2016 at the age of 26. However, she isn’t the only member of her family to conquer such a difficult exam. Let’s explore her journey.

Who is Farah Hussain?

Farah Hussain grew up in a Muslim family in Jhanjhunu, Rajasthan. Defying the common stereotype that Muslim girls receive limited education and marry young, Farah’s family encouraged and inspired her to chase her ambition of becoming an IAS officer. She was born in Nawan village into a family with a background in administrative services.

Farah completed her schooling in Jhanjhunu and later moved to Mumbai to study at Government Law College, where she earned a law degree and became a criminal lawyer. Although she initially aspired to be a doctor, her ambitions shifted as she grew older.

Farah Hussain comes from a family deeply rooted in public service. Her father, Ashfaq Hussain, served as a District Collector, and she has an older sibling working as a lawyer at the Rajasthan High Court. Her extended family includes several individuals in public service, such as an uncle in law enforcement and another who is a Joint Secretary in the state government. Additionally, two of her cousins are officials in the Rajasthan Administrative Services (RAS). In total, more than 14 family members hold significant positions in public service.

Liaquat Khan, an IPS officer, joined the RPS in 1972 and later became an IPS officer, retiring as Inspector General and serving as chairman of the Waqf Board before his passing in 2020.

Ashfaq Hussain, Farah’s father, began his career as an RAS officer in 1983 and was promoted to IAS in 2016, taking on important roles such as Special Secretary in the Education Department and Dausa District Collector before retiring in 2018.

Zakir Khan, inspired by his elder brothers, became an IAS officer in 2018 and currently serves as the Collector of Sriganganagar district.

Shaheen Khan, the son of Liaquat Khan, holds a senior position as an RAS officer. He is currently serving as the Chief Medical Officer and has previously worked as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for Ashok Gehlot.

Monica, who is Shaheen Khan’s wife, started her career as a Jail Superintendent and is now the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the jail in Jaipur.

Shakib Khan, Liaquat Khan’s nephew, serves as a Brigadier in the Indian Army and is currently stationed in Hisar.

Another nephew, Salim Khan, is a senior RAS officer working as Deputy Secretary in the Education Department in Jaipur. His wife, Shana Khan, is also a senior RAS officer and is currently assigned to the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan in Jaipur.

Farah Khan, following in her father’s footsteps, became an IRS officer in 2016, achieving an impressive All-India rank of 267. She is recognized as the second Muslim woman from Rajasthan to reach this level and is currently posted in Jodhpur.

Farah Khan’s husband, Qamar Ul Zaman Choudhary, is an IAS officer from the Rajasthan cadre and hails from Jammu and Kashmir. He is also currently assigned to Jodhpur.

Javed Khan, who is Salim Khan’s brother-in-law, works as a RAS officer and is currently the Private Secretary to Minister Saleh Mohammad in Jaipur.

Ishrat Khan, the sister of Brigadier Shakib Khan, serves as a Colonel in the Indian Army. She was commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel 17 years ago and has since been promoted to Colonel.