Suhail Rather
Srinagar, Oct 17 (KNS): Advocate Hafeez Ahmad Lone from the remote village of Wanpora in Gurez Valley, Bandipora, has made his district proud by qualifying for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Public Prosecutor Exam, 2023.
Lone secured an impressive 44th rank in the All India Rank (AIR) list, emerging as the only candidate from Jammu and Kashmir to achieve this feat.
The UPSC Public Prosecutor Exam, conducted for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) posts, saw the written tests held on December 17, 2023, followed by interviews between September 17 and 20, 2024. The final result was declared on October 17, 2024, when Lone was among the 48 successful candidates nationwide.
This success marks Hafeez Lone as the fourth person from District Bandipora to qualify for the prestigious UPSC exam and only the second candidate from the Kashmir Valley to clear this particular Public Prosecutor Exam.
Hafeez’s journey is one of incredible perseverance and determination, having attempted various state-level Public Service Commission exams over 14 years before achieving this national-level success.
“I was lucky enough to be among the 48 successful candidates this year," Lone said, recalling how he had faced multiple setbacks in state-level exams but never gave up. "I continued my struggle persistently for 14 long years to achieve something extraordinary," he added.
To qualify for the UPSC Public Prosecutor Exam, a candidate must have at least seven years of experience as an advocate dealing with criminal cases in courts across the country.
Lone began his schooling at Government High School Wanpora, followed by HSS Dawar, and completed his graduation from Degree College Baramulla. He then pursued an LLB from the University of Kashmir and started practising law at the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court in Srinagar, along with subordinate courts.
Currently serving as a Law Officer in the Department of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs in the J&K Civil Secretariat, Lone’s achievement comes after years of dedication.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelHis success story is even more poignant considering the challenges he faced growing up.
Orphaned at just two months old, Lone was raised by his grandfather and mother, who both played pivotal roles in supporting his education and aspirations.
Reflecting on his achievement, Lone said, “It was the support of my family that helped me reach this stage. My grandfather, Late Abdul Rehman Lone, always encouraged me to aim high, and my mother, Ms. Sajida Begam, sacrificed so much to ensure I never lacked anything. I owe this success to her and my wife, Ms. Naheeda Nisar, whose constant encouragement kept me going.”
Lone also expressed his gratitude to his colleagues and senior officers, including Law Secretary Shri Achal Sethi, Secretary ARI Department Muzaffar Hussain, Secretary Assembly Manoj Bhat, and several others for their support during his journey.
In his message to aspiring candidates, Lone said that perseverance and hard work are key to success. “It’s not just about UPSC or any other exam, but for every goal in life. You need to struggle and work hard, and then luck will also favour you,” he said.
Lone further said that success is achievable even in the toughest exams if one is consistent, motivated, and dedicated. “Nothing is impossible,” he said, adding that his own life story proves that setbacks can be overcome with perseverance.
Inspired by the quote from Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, Lone believes that "a man can be destroyed but not defeated." His journey from a remote village in Gurez to qualifying for the prestigious UPSC Public Prosecutor Exam stands as a testament to the power of determination and family support. (KNS)