Success Story: Often people surrender their dreams to circumstances and kill them. Very few people fulfill their dreams despite facing many difficulties. Similarly, Lipin Raj, an IAS officer born in Kerala, has said this. Born in a very poor family, even a bad eye and poverty could not dim Lipin’s dreams. Let us know the inspiring story of this 2013 batch IAS officer…
Success Story: IAS Lipin Raj has set an example for thousands of disabled and ordinary youth by passing one of the toughest competitive examinations of the country. Lipin Raj passed UPSC 2012 All India with 224 rank. Battling obstacles ranging from poverty to troubled family life and loss of one eye, he realized his dream at the age of 24.
Lipin Raj, born in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, had bad eyesight since birth. Everything was fine till the age of 9. But one day in school, Lipin Raj was hit with a compass by one of his classmates. Which hit his right eye. The wound was not so big that the eye would be completely damaged. But his alcohol-addicted father did not pay attention to this and eventually he lost the vision in one eye completely.
Lipin tells in one of his interviews that he was average in studies. His early education was from Malayalam medium government school. However, in the 12th examination he got 100 marks out of 100 in Malayalam. After this, someday he went to the photocopy shop to get the documents copied. Photocopy shop owner Motty Cherian did something that changed Lipin’s life.
Cherian, a photocopy shop owner, convinced Lipin to take admission in a good college in Thiruvananthapuram. Also provided financial assistance for admission. Lippin also worked as a reporter in a Malayalam daily to meet college expenses. Talking about Lipin’s education, he has done graduation in Mass Communication and PG in History and Malayalam.
Before selection in UPSC, Lipin Raj worked in State Bank of Travancore and IDBI Bank for about five years. Along with this he also remained busy in preparing for UPSC. Lipin had kept Malayalam Literature and Public Administration as optional subjects in UPSC. He gave UPSC Mains exam in Malayalam medium and interview in English medium.
