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Journalism of Courage
Gahana Navya James, 25, who ranked 6th in the civil services exam results declared on Tuesday, opted for self study even as she came from Kerala’s coaching hub — Pala town in Kottayam district.
A research scholar in international relations with UGC junior research fellowship, Gahana said she would opt for Indian Foreign Service (IFS). “My uncle Sibi George, 1993-batch IFS officer and present Ambassador of India to Japan, has been a motivating factor for civil services. Besides, his presence in foreign service kindled an interest in keeping a tab on international affairs,’’ said Gahana, who writes poems as a hobby. She is the daughter of a retired college professor couple Chirakkal James Thomas and Deepa George, of Mutholi near Pala. She has a younger brother Gaurav Amar James, a degree student.
“I had a lot of opportunities for coaching in Pala, but I wanted to chart out my own course. I had self-confidence and understood my strengths and weaknesses well. I had shaped an ethical framework for me,’’ she said.
“My parents were willing to send me anywhere for coaching, but I opted for self-study. My younger brother conducted mock interviews for me. We used to discuss current affairs after reading newspapers. Being a regular newspaper reader helped me to keep abreast of all developments in politics and economics. I discussed current affairs with my brother,’’ said Gahana.
She said the civil services win was never expected. “I am a full-time research scholar and did not go for any dedicated preparation for the civil services. It is not a forced dream… In 2021, I had written the exam, but did not clear the preliminary. It was only an attempt to understand the nature of the exam.’’
