https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

ULFA Meetings to IAS Meets, Incredible Journey of Narayan Konwar

2010 batch IAS officer Narayan Konwar is the Education Secretary of Assam He almost became a school dropout in 9th standard and failed in 12th boards From trysts with the banned outfit ULFA to becoming an IAS officer, his journey will keep you riveted
Indian Masterminds Stories

About 15 km away from Assam’s magic heartland, Mayong, where till this day live people who come closest to the ‘sorcerers’ in Enid Blyton’s books, is a small village called Chamkata. Every year, floods leave the villagers broken, with their longings and belongings washed away in the waters of the river they look upon with devotion – Brahmaputra.

In this tragic setting of hardships grew a boy in physique and spirit, who searched for little delights in playing football with ULFA cadres and watching in awe as they rode by in Yamahas with their Ak-47s. Even when they spoke, he listened intently, their words often sparking a desire to be like them.

But, braving floods and economic hardships, as he grew into a strapping lad, his inclination took a sharp turn towards UPSC, and, today, he is a senior IAS officer. He is Mr. Narayan Konwar, Education Secretary of Assam.

In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Konwar gave riveting details about his journey to IAS.

Narayan Konwar, IAS

SCHOOL DROPOUT

Mr. Konwar’s journey was fraught with hardship every step of the way. From losing his school teacher father at a young age to dropping out of school in the 9th standard because of not being able to pay the fees, his is a story of destiny refusing to let go of him from its chosen path.

Surviving only on his late father’s pension of around Rs. 1200, he learned to bear responsibility early on in life, from their small thatched hut, the roof of which allowed rainwater to dribble inside generously.

Mr. Konwar said, “My mother did not even know to sign. I was the eldest, with two brothers and a sister. After one particularly difficult flood-hit year, when we did not have the money to pay my school fees, I decided to drop out in Class 9. Later, my late father’s colleagues helped me out. Otherwise I would have been a school dropout.”

IAS officer Narayan Konwar with his family

12th FAIL

However, his studies again came to an abrupt halt when he failed in the 12th boards. “That year, the floodwater washed away everything. I could not attend classes as I had to rebuild our hut and worry about where from the next meal would come.”

CLEARED NET

Next year, he passed the board exam comfortably and enrolled in college in the nearby town, Morigaon, taking Political Science as major. By this time, his village had stabilised as a result of engaging in two cultivations, in summer as well as in winter – an idea introduced to the villagers by the ULFA cadres from their village. These boys also helped with the required equipment, introducing the villagers to diesel machines for cultivation. With enough rice grains for the family and food security in place, Mr. Konwar’s mother sent most of the pension money to him for his studies.

After graduating, he enrolled in Gauhati University for his MA. “I topped the university in Political Science. I then cleared NET and took up a college lecturer job.”

Inaugurating a government function

But, although his mind was on this job, his heart lay elsewhere. His growing up pains of seeing his family and villagers suffer troubled him, and flashes of memories disturbed him.

“I wanted to help people in villages like ours who do not have road connectivity, electricity, rainproof houses, and who are left flood-devastated year after year. And, I realised that UPSC is that platform.”

CLEARED CSE

With the savings he had accumulated from his job, he went to Delhi for a year of coaching and sat for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. On his first attempt, he reached till the mains. In his second, he cleared the exam with AIR 119 in 2010, and was allotted IAS.

“On analysing, I realised that my orientation was different from the demands of the exam, in the first attempt. Hence, I got very less marks in the essay – 23 out of 100. So, I went with a different bent of mind next time and cleared all the stages. In my interview, I focussed on just being myself. It does not matter if you give wrong answers. It’s how you carry yourself that is important. Remember, your personality is on test here.”

Planting a sapling as part of a government function

JOINED IAS

After joining IAS, he focussed on giving shapes to his wishes. “Being posted as SDM and DM allowed me to work on road connectivity and electricity connection in remote villages through various government schemes. And, giving the poor villagers houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana scheme gave me so much joy.”

Life has come a full circle for Mr. Konwar. From suffering and stumbling in his village because of lack of roads and electricity, he could provide the same to hundreds of villages in district after district.

And, as the Secretary of the Education department now, the destiny of lakhs of students rest on his able shoulders – the very shoulders that were once so heavily burdened with family responsibilities that he had almost dropped out of school and failed in the 12th boards.

IAS officer Narayan Konwar (right) attending a function

LESSONS

Mr. Konwar was introduced to social service from his childhood. He saw the ULFA cadres help his village folks during floods and boosting their confidence and cultivation, which planted the seed for ‘service to people’ from an impressionable age.

Yet, he did not join the ULFA, like his best friend and many others from his village did. Instead, he opted to join the Indian Administrative Service to serve people because he felt that by using this platform, he could serve people in a well-coordinated manner and on a bigger scale.

His journey is a poignant reminder to all that in sufferings lie hidden life’s greatest lessons, and once people come out of these, they are not the same person who encountered the storms. They are more resilient and more empathetic. The end result is someone who feels another’s pain and responds faster to a call for help. As is the case with IAS officer Narayan Konwar.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services
Controversies Lead to Transfer of 8 Out of 24 IAS Officers in Madhya Pradesh; Key Collectors Removed Following Disputes with Legislators
ACC_Appointments Committee of Cabinet
Senior Bureaucratic Movements Cleared by ACC: Repatriations, Curtailments, and Extensions Notified
shastri-bhawan
CSS Forum Backs Officer Deepak Khoda After Suicide Attempt Over Alleged Workplace Harassment by IAS; Demands High-Level Probe in Letter to Minister
Gandhinagar: Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R
14 Million Seedlings and Counting: Gujarat’s Centres of Excellence Drive Horticulture Innovation with Global Backing
Siyan Gudis old age homes Chhattisgarh
CM Sai Announces 'Siyan Gudis' for Elderly in 4 Chhattisgarh Cities, Launches Welfare Measures on International Day of Older Persons
Sardar Patel 150th birth anniversary celebrations
Gujarat CM Reviews National Unity Day Arrangements Ahead of Sardar Patel’s 150th Birth Anniversary at Sardar Sarovar Dam
Pushkar Singh Dhami CM
Uttarakhand CM Flags Off Free Ambulance for Senior Citizens on International Day of Older Persons
KVS
Cabinet Approves 57 New Kendriya Vidyalayas Across India with ₹5862 Cr Outlay, 4600+ Jobs to Be Created
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
Dr. S.K
Technology Meets Ecology: IFS Dr S K Srivastava’s Game-Changing Innovations in Forest Management | Eco Warrior Awards 2025 Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services
Controversies Lead to Transfer of 8 Out of 24 IAS Officers in Madhya Pradesh; Key Collectors Removed Following Disputes with Legislators
ACC_Appointments Committee of Cabinet
Senior Bureaucratic Movements Cleared by ACC: Repatriations, Curtailments, and Extensions Notified
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
Dr. S.K
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT