Orphan to District Collector: Kerala Man's 25-Year Journey
Abdul Nasar spent 13 years in an orphanage after his father died, worked odd jobs from age 10, and became the district collector he once dreamed of meeting. His journey from extreme poverty to leading an entire district shows what persistence can achieve.
A 10-year-old boy cleaning hotel floors in Kerala had no idea that a chance school visit would change his life forever.
Abdul Nasar lost his father at age five. His mother Manhumma worked in different homes to feed six children, but it wasn't enough. Relatives suggested sending young Abdul to Darussalam Orphanage in Thalassery, where he would spend the next 13 years.
The orphanage gave him what poverty had stolen: food, shelter and education. He sometimes ran away because he missed his mother and siblings, but always returned because he knew she would worry.
To help his family, Abdul started working at age 10. He served food and cleaned at hotels across Kerala, balancing school with survival.
Then came the moment that sparked everything. A young civil servant named Amitabh Kant visited his school as a sub-collector. Watching Kant interact with students, Abdul discovered his calling: he wanted to become a district collector.
The dream seemed impossible, but Abdul kept moving forward. He finished Class 10, transferred to Vatanapally Orphanage, and completed Class 12 while continuing to work. He delivered newspapers before dawn, tutored students after school, and operated phones at night while studying English literature.
In 1994, he landed a job as a government health inspector. The stable position didn't quiet his childhood dream. With support from his wife Ruksana, he took leave from work to prepare for Kerala's civil services exam.
The journey took years. He cleared the prelims in 2002, the mains in 2004, and finally passed the full exam in 2006. He became a Deputy Collector and earned recognition as Kerala's Best Deputy Collector in 2015.
In 2017, Abdul was elevated to the Indian Administrative Service, the country's elite civil service corps. Two years later, he achieved what that 10-year-old hotel worker had dreamed of: he became District Collector of Kollam.
Why This Inspires
Abdul's story shows that where you start doesn't determine where you finish. Every night he worked as a telephone operator, every morning he delivered newspapers, he was building the discipline that would carry him through years of competitive exams. His mother worked multiple jobs to keep her children fed. An orphanage gave him stability when his family couldn't. A visiting civil servant showed him what was possible. His wife supported him through exam preparations. Success rarely happens alone.
The boy who once cleaned floors now leads an entire district, proving that dreams don't expire just because life gets hard.
Based on reporting by The Better India
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
Spread the positivity!
Share this good news with someone who needs it
