Dr. Sana Ramchand Gulwani is a Pakistani civil servant who belongs to the Hindu community in Sindh. In May 2021, she made headlines when she became the first woman to clear the FPSC CSS (Federal Public Service Commission Central Senior Services) examination in the 73-year history of Pakistan.
Wiki/Biography
Sana Ramchand Gulwani was born on Wednesday, November 3, 1993 in Chak, Shikarpur, Sindh, Pakistan (29 years old; as of 2022). Her zodiac sign is Scorpio. She completed her primary and high school education in a local public school in Sindh. In 2016, she pursued her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in Urology at Shaheed Mohammad Benazir Bhutto Medical University, Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan. Later, she passed the FCPS Surgery (Fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons) examination and started training in Karachi to become a professional urologist. FCPS consists of 4-5 years of training and thesis, followed by professional fellowship (qualification) to become a surgeon. Sana had completed 2 years of training when she passed FPSC CSS (Federal Public Service Commission Central Senior Services) examination in 2020.
Shaheed Motama Benazir Bhutto Medical University, where Dr. Sana completed her Bachelor of Medicine in Internal Medicine
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′ 5″
Weight (approximately): 58kg
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
Sana belongs to the Gurwani family of the Hindu community in Sindh, Pakistan. Sindhi Hindus are a minority in Pakistan.
Parents and siblings
Sana’s father’s name is Ramchand Gulwani and her mother’s name is Salochina Gulwani. Sana has four sisters. Her sister Sonam Ramchand is a software engineer and Nandini Ramchand is pursuing MBBS.
Dr. Sana Gulwani and her father Ramchand Gulwani
Parents of Dr. Sana Gurwani
husband
Sana Gurwani is not married yet.
Profession
doctor
After completing her MBBS course, Sana passed the FCPS-1 (Fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons) examination, following which she started training to become a professional fellow of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan (CPSP). She underwent training at different medical colleges including Lakana Chandkar Medical College, Sindh, and Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, Pakistan. When she passed FPSC CSS 2020, she was working as a Class 17 Medical Officer at Taluka Hospital in Lakhi, Shikarpur Rural District.
Dr. Sana Gulwani with Dr. Adeeb Rizvi, founder of Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, Pakistan
civil servant
Dr. Sana Ramchand Gulwani came into limelight when she became the first Hindu woman to clear the Central Senior Services (CSS) examination. She was appointed to the most popular bureaucracy, the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS). She passed the exam in rural category.
News excerpts from Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune
Motivation to become a civil servant
Sana Gulwani started preparations in May 2019. During her training as a surgeon, she experienced poor hospital management and facilities. As a practitioner, there was nothing she could do to improve the situation. In an interview, she talked about an incident that became a turning point in her life. she says,
I didn’t even know about CSS until District Commissioner Shikarpur visited our hospital. I was impressed by his demeanor and communication skills. Later I found out he was a CSS officer and that was the turning point for me. It took me almost two months to thoroughly research and make up my mind to take the exam. I started preparing in May 2019 and took the exam in February 2020. “
Dr. Sana Gulwani conducts field visits to inquire about issues faced by people
time management
Together she manages CSS’s medical training and learning. Initially, she only studied 3-4 hours a day due to training and thesis work. In November 2019, she asked for leave from her workplace and started studying 12-14 hours a day. In an interview, she shared her thoughts on CSS and said:
I think we have an unnecessary fear of CSS in our minds. It’s just hype people create. My personal experience is that CSS is easier than medicine. Let’s just say it’s tricky. If one masters the techniques, then like me, one can pass the exam with only 7-8 months of preparation. “
Dr. Sana Gurwani shares her strategy in an interview
strategy
FPSC CSS has six compulsory subjects and six elective subjects. Sana chose International Relations, American History, Zoology, Sindhi Literature, Urban Planning and Urban Management, and Applied Mathematics as elective subjects. She closed all her social media accounts and cut off contact with friends to focus on preparations. She got help from her MBBS classmates, who were also preparing for civil services.
Dr. Sana Abdul in advertisement of Sukkur Coaching Institute
Contrary to other aspirants, Sana chose to stay in Shikarpur instead of going to Lahore or Islamabad. She has received support from many people, including her seniors and family. She was mentored by a senior person serving in the Income Tax Department; he helped her choose elective subjects, checked her papers and compositions, and guided her whenever she needed help. Sana’s family went out of their way to support her. On a talk show, she recounted her mother’s efforts, saying,
During the whole process of preparing for the exam, my mother gave me the greatest care. Since I was discharged from the hospital, I didn’t leave my room for three months before the exam. If I study all night, she stays up with me; I don’t even have to get up to drink tea. She took care of everything, not only during my CSS preparation, but for all my exams. I kept her in my corner. “
On May 6, 2021, FPSC announced the results and Sana Gulwani joined the General Training Program (CTP) in 2021 and Specialized Training Program (STP) in 2022 at Civil Service College, Lahore ).
Sana Gulwani with her batch in 49th joint training program
After her training, she secured her first position as Assistant Commissioner (AC) Hasan Abdal in Attock, Punjab, Pakistan; she was the first female Assistant Commissioner in the city.
Dr. Sana Gulwani, Assistant Commissioner Hassan Abdal
salary
Assistant Commissioners fall under BPS-17 (Basic Pay Scale) in Pakistan, according to which their basic salary is Rs. 45070 (Pakistani Rupees). Sana’s total salary is Rs 75,272 (Pakistani Rupees) per month, including rent, medical and other allowances.
net worth
Sana’s annual income is PKR 8,67,264 (approx.).
Facts/Trivia
- Dr. Sana Gulwani is one of the less than two percent of candidates who pass the exam. A total of 221 candidates have cleared the Central Senior Services Examination 2020, out of which 79 are women.
Sana Ramchand Gulwani (second from right) participates in a joint training program with her female teammates in Lahore
- As a Hindu, she reportedly never faced any discrimination or harassment. She talked about this in an interview and said:
I never feel like I live in a country where I belong to a minority group, unless someone reminds me. I always get equal opportunities. When I was appointed to PAS, many senior officials congratulated me. They encouraged me, supported me, and constantly insisted that I would not be treated differently. On the contrary, I am unique because of my religious roots, which makes them proud; I always get more love for being Hindu. I would never say I had any problems because of my religious beliefs.
- Sana Gulwani studied in the local government school till class 12 as there were no private schools in her town. She started learning English in sixth grade.
- She wrote a paper in FPSC CSS on the topic “Tourism Potential of Pakistan: Challenges and Opportunities”.
- Sana’s family is worried about her joining the civil service. They wanted her to stay in medicine because they believed she had a better chance of excelling in the field.
- She was the first person in her family and entire town to qualify for CSS.
- The Pakistan Hindu Council congratulates Sana on her success in the Central Advanced Services Examination.
Congratulatory message from Pakistan Hindu Council
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education