His ideal is service, not success

Public Office Private Life: PC Jaffer --- Deputy commissioner, Mandya district
It takes a strong will to chart a different route when there's already a paved road to success. When PC Jaffer was growing up, Kerala had already become synonymous with the Gulf exodus for jobs. But he wasn't the one to be swayed. He believed if he could help others while carrying out his duties, it would be worthwhile.
Today, this 36-year-old officer, who saw electricity in his house only when he was 17, has earned many accolades for his work. His pleasant disposition and straightforward approach have primarily been responsible for this recognition.
Lending an ear
Jaffer is a patient listener. "People approach officials when there are in trouble. If we hear their grievances half of the issue is solved," he says. He follows it up with prioritization of work and a dose of decentralization, apart from regularly updating himself with developments around. Not surprising then that he gets frequent invitations to festivals and functions from people in Gulbarga and Raichur, where he served in the early years.
"I'm not initiating any revolution. We don't have to do radical things. It's enough if we implement the law and work in the interest of society. It's also necessary to show compassion to people in distress," he says.
Civil service happened
Jaffer can't remember how he zeroed in on a career in civil service. After he studied up to matriculation in Malayalam, he took up a course in English at Mar Ivanios College in Thiruvananthapuram, and noticed many students burning the midnight oil to crack the civil service exams.
His parents, Aboobackar NK and Ayesha -- both government school teachers -- had little idea about the exam. They only wanted him to study well. He did so in earnest, becoming the first post-graduate from his village. "I had two options: take to teaching or join government service. I decided to try my luck at a government job. Later, I moved to New Delhi where I became serious about the exam and cleared it in the third attempt," he says. An analytical approach and sheer hard work, he adds, can get anybody there.
Avilora, where he hails from, was a socially and educationally backward village in Kozhikode district. It had no roads, electricity or water. "We used to cross two water bodies to go to school or visit another place and had to trek long distances to collect water during scarcity." The family of five included his younger siblings - a brother and a sister.
Journey with better half
Jaffer's wife Moona comes from the same district. Now in the sixth year of their marriage, the couple has two sons -- Ajmal Zuhair, 5, and Anzal Zarif, 2. Three years after he became a civil servant, his father had arranged the alliance for him. The couple credits each other's simplicity for their happiness. Jaffer sometimes shares his dilemmas at work with her and takes her suggestions. "Everyone has their own perspective," he reasons.
Quality time at home comes in the form of morning stroll and outings. His day starts at 6am when he scans the newspapers with a cup of tea. But he takes pleasure in doing some chores like booking journey tickets for relatives. "I ask my wife to remind me of that work after I reach office, which she promptly does," he says.
Fond memories
Jaffer recalls an interesting anecdote in 1991 during his SSLC examination. On the first day, he got to know his father Aboobackar, an Arabic teacher, was writing the examination too. Although his father had the requisite qualification to teach Arabic, he had taken up the exam and passed.
Jaffer retains that zest. He is now pursuing a PG course in psychology from Karnataka State Open University.
At home, the family speaks Malayalam but his family is comfortable with Kannada. His elder son Ajmal, he says, is "more fluent at Kannada". At the dining table, it is non-vegetarian that prevails, thanks mostly to Moona's culinary versatility in the form of mutton korma, mutton biryani, fish curry, appams and akki rotti (patri in Malayalam). The menu is standardized, almost: idli, dosa or patri for breakfast; rice for lunch and chapati for dinner.
Invariably, every month they have some guests at home. And Jaffer is only too happy to play host and do some work for them.
Hobbies: Reading and family outing
Food: Difficult to survive without fish
Books: Malayalam literature
Movies: Malayalam movies
Accolades: His work has been appreciated by legal services committee chairman DV Shailendra Kumar and member AN Yellappa Reddy at the divisional Lok Adalat meeting in Mysore.
I am not initiating any revolution. We don't have to do radical things. It's enough if we implement the law and work in the interest of society. It's also necessary to show compassion to people in distress.