Centre Felicitates First Visually Challenged Foreign Services Officer Beno Zephine

Beno Zephine, a visually challenged IFS officer from Tamil Nadu, was felicitated in the national capital today by the government for her determination and zeal to be a part of civil services.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who along with other officers of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions felicitated Ms Zephine, said he was highly impressed by the confidence and determination of the young visually challenged girl.

Expressing happiness, Mr Singh recalled that when he took over the charge of the Ministry last year, the department was confronted with a unique and peculiar case of a candidate, who had, despite her visually challenged condition, made it to the merit list of civil services exam by securing 343 rank and was keen to take up Indian Foreign Service (IFS) as career, notwithstanding the constraints of the prevalent government rules.

He said, it was Ms Zephine's unrelenting determination which inspired him and all the other colleagues in the Ministry to follow up her case with utmost sincerity and find a way to accommodate her in a befitting slot.

25-year-old Ms Zephine, a probationary officer with State Bank of India, received an order from the central government last week asking her to report within 60 days.

She is probably the first 100 per cent visually impaired officer to join IFS, a Personnel Ministry official said.

Ms Zephine, who hails from Chennai, said, she was overwhelmed by the patience and positive attitude of the Minister and thanked all the concerned officers whom she had been constantly bothering for the follow up of her case.