Meet IFS Parveen Kaswan, Aeronautical Engineer Turned Forest Officer Bringing 'Wild' Life To Social Media

Indian Forest Services officer Parveen Kaswan is not a stranger to anyone on social media. Kaswan is undoubtedly among the most followed civil servants on social media. He became a social media sensation by sharing his passion for wildlife and conservation with his followers. He posts interesting facts, photos and stories about the animals and forests on his Twitter and Instagram accounts. He also educates people about environmental issues and challenges them to identify different species of animals. His social media handle is a source of inspiration and awareness for many people who love nature.

IFS officer Parveen Kaswan's journey from an Aeronautical Engineer to forest officer and a social media sensation is is truly inspiring and worth sharing.

Impressive Educational Journey

IFS Parveen Kaswan has a remarkable academic background. He graduated from Amity University in 2008 with a BTech in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering. He then pursued his Masters in Engineering Design from IISc Bangalore. He also holds a Masters degree in Forestry from Forest Research Institute in Dehradun, which he completed in 2016-2018.

Hamara bhi kabhi jamana tha. Many years back, me at IISc Bangalore. Part of a joint team of IISc + Harvard for some project. Pahchano kaun. pic.twitter.com/Rc6dSS4dlJ — Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) February 22, 2023

His Mother Got Married Aged 13

Parveen Kaswan hails from a humble Jat family in Rajasthan. His father name is Hansraj Kaswan. His mother had an early marriage at 13, she was just 16 when Parveen was born. He revealed this information in one of his tweets. On Father’s Day, Parveen shared a post about his father’s inspiring journey. His father was in ninth grade when he got married. He sacrificed his college education when Parveen started school.

Father got married when he was in 9th class. He stopped college when I joined school. Mother was three years younger than him. She always said “don’t become anything in life, just become like your father”. He raised us by examples, not by advice. To them. #fathersday2020 pic.twitter.com/yqUq5l0FQ0

— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) June 20, 2020

His mother, who was three years younger than his father, always encouraged him to follow in his father’s footsteps. She said, ‘Don’t aspire to be anything in life, just be like your father. He taught us by example, not by advice.’

Married at the age of 13. Never saw school. But she taught us well, raised us well. My mother is my pillar of strength. On #WomensDay. pic.twitter.com/Htv1U4JkyN — Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) March 8, 2022

Secured 81st Rank In UPSC Forest Services Exam

Parveen Kaswan cracked the UPSC Forest Service Examination 2015 with an impressive 81st rank. He prepared for the exam using NCERT books, newspapers and mock tests. He then did his Masters in Forestry from Forest Research Institute in Dehradun in 2016-2018.

Social Media Sensation

Parveen Kaswan is a social media sensation among wildlife lovers. He frequently posts quizzes about wildlife identification on his accounts. He has a huge fan following of 42.1K on Instagram and 449.7K on Twitter. He mesmerizes his followers with his amazing photos of animals and forests on both platforms. 

This majestic bird. Himalayan Griffon Vulture, most probably largest & heaviest bird found in Himalayas. The adult one measure upto 3 metres in wingspan. India has nine species of vultures present among 24 found in the world.

Do you know Australia is only continent which has no… pic.twitter.com/U8NcC5sutZ — Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) June 7, 2023

Worked On Sukhoi 30 MKI Fighter Jet's Engine

Kaswan was an employee of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s engine division in Koraput, Odisha before he cleared the UPSC exam and became an IFS officer. His LinkedIn profile shows that he worked on the engine of India’s Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft during his time in Odisha. He also worked at HAL’s design department in Lucknow in his early years.