Daijiworld Media Network - Goa

Panaji, May 12: Strangely,while proponents of Konkani beat their chests in Goa, it took someone from across the border to give the state's official language another first. Chaya Venkatesh Vernekar, a native of Kumttha in neighbouring Karnataka, achieved a rare feat for the language when she got into the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) after clearing the Union Public Service Commission's 2009 exams with Konkani and Konkani literature as two of her subjects.

"Konkani is my mother tongue.  The fact that no one had chosen it before me only added to the motivation," said Chaya, adding that associate professor in Konkani at Goa University, Priyadarshini Tadkodkar, played a role in persuading her to opt for Konkani literature.

After graduating in commerce from Bombay university in 1999, Chaya married Venkatesh Vernekar, an insurance officer, who encouraged her to pursue higher education after the birth of their daughter. This set Chaya on course for a masters degree from Karnataka university in 2006. She then set the UPSC examinations as her next target. For the next two years, Chaya constantly travelled to Goa.With special permission from the university registrar, she stayed at the Goa university guest house during her visits.

At present living in Mumbai, Chaya has been ranked 265th at the UPSC exams and is set to answer the preliminary examinations for the IAS on May 23, 2010 all over again to improve her rank. "With the 265th rank, I am likely to get into the Indian Police Services, but I am looking at improving my rank as IPS is my third option. I would prefer either IAS or the Indian Foreign Services," said Chaya, who takes to cooking and designing rangolis to unwind.