Calcutta: The need for more from life prompted Azar Zia to quit a cushy corporate job and attempt the civil services examination. He cracked it with a rank of 97, the highest from Bengal - the third Muslim candidate from the state since Independence and the first in 36 years to become an IAS officer.

"It's wonderful that after Mustaque Murshed and Sk Nurul Haque, Azar Zia has cleared the IAS exam and that too with a good rank. I hope we will have more IAS officers from the community in future," said Jawaid Akhtar, labour commissioner and former managing director at the West Bengal Minorities Development and Finance Corporation.

A St James' School alumnus, Zia was a bright student right from school. He studied engineering at Heritage Institute of Technology and went on to do his MBA at Faculty of Management Studies, Delhi.

"Initially, I wanted a corporate career for myself and so I studied engineering. But after a few years, I realised I could do much better with a business management degree. So I appeared for CAT," said the 31-year-old from Tantibagan, near Beniapukur.

After completing the MBA course, Zia got a job as brand manager with Asian Paints. "But soon I started feeling a void in my life. The fat salary did not entice me anymore and in 2015 I decided to resign," he said.

Zia joined the Hamdard Study Circle in Delhi to prepare for the UPSC exams. His family was initially unhappy with his decision but Zia managed to win them over. "Since my father and my uncle were both civil servants, I grew up in an environment where service to the community and society was always discussed. I was drawn to the field subconsciously and it was not hard to convince my parents," said Zia, who cleared the exam in his third attempt.

He cleared the prelims in 2016 but fell ill with chikungunya. "I took the exam again in 2017 and was confident of clearing it but never thought I would be in the top 100," said Zia, who thinks his experience in engineering and business management helped him.

Haque, the second Muslim IAS from Bengal, was happy at Zia's feat. "It is more than 35 years after my appointment that he has made it to the list. Instead of isolated cases, I wish there were more aspirants for the civil services from the community," said Haque, who cleared IAS in 1982.

A fan of American business magnates and philanthropists Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, Zia dreams of being a change-maker. "At the grassroots level I can work for the efficient execution of projects and policies and at the higher level I can play an important role in influencing policy-making," said Zia, who enjoys sketching in his leisure time.

Zia's training begins in Mussoorie in August.