Ansar Ahamad Shaikh, the son of an autorickshaw driver from Jalna’s Shedgaon village, cracked the UPSC exam in his first attempt. Ansar Shaikh, who secured an All-India Rank 361, indeed faced religious discrimination while studying in Pune. Ansar had to change his name and became Shubham from Shaikh to get accommodation and food in the city. Ansar Ahmad Shaikh came to Pune to pursue Bachelor of Arts, political science degree and UPSC preparations. In order to get proper accommodation and food, he was forced to change his name to a Hindu surname. “I remember when I went to look for a PG accommodation, my friends who were Hindus got rooms but I was refused. So the next time, I said that my name was Shubham, which was actually my friend’s name,” Ansar was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
“Now I don’t have to hide my real name. I am Shaikh, not Shubham. I can tell everyone now,” Ansar said with tears in his eyes. Shaikh stood firm against all odds and achieved phenomenal victory over them. Recalling the hardship he faced, Ansar said,”My father has three wives, my mom is the second. In my family, education wasn’t so important. My younger brother dropped out of school and my two sisters were married off at an early age and didn’t study much. When I called home and told them that I cracked UPSC and in all likelihood will be an IAS officer, they were shell shocked,” said Shaikh.
Ansar Shaikh’s story is all about courage and determination. But it also highlights the bias mindset of the society towards minorities. In a metropolitian city like Pune, people have to face discrimination for their religious identity, then one can think about the situation in rural areas.
