Life is a demanding journey that sets seemingly insurmountable obstacles in our path to success and requires an effort that appears to transcend our abilities. However, life rewards those who are willing to push themselves, regardless of what limits are imposed on them. So, no matter how many times you fall and how exhausted you may feel, encourage yourself to keep going and handle challenges from a new perspective, like IAS Savita Pradhan did.
The journey of IAS Savita Pradhan may serve as an inspiration to aspirants, but somewhere it will also send chills down the spine. Currently serving as the Joint Director of the Gwalior Division, Madhya Pradesh, IAS Savita’s life had unimaginable challenges, including domestic violence. She battled her personal demons, prompting her to end her life. But when reality hit her, she emerged as a testament to resilience and determination that triumph over hardship and achieve the seemingly impossible.
Born into a tribal family in Mandai village, Madhya Pradesh, Savita faced financial challenges that hindered her education. But thanks to a scholarship, she convinced her parents to let her continue her studies. In fact, she not only completed her studies but excelled in them and became the first girl in her village to complete Class 10.
Following that milestone, she secured admission into a school seven kilometres away, but her financial condition was so weak that the Rs 2 bus fee for a round trip was beyond their means. To overcome this difficulty, her mother took up a modest job and finally moved closer to Savita’s school. Her academic interests leaned towards science, and she aspired to become a doctor.
However, at the age of 16, a wealthy family proposed marriage, altering the course of her life drastically. Post-marriage, Savita found herself in a distressing situation with her in-laws, enduring some restrictions at home, such as sharing meals at the dinner table, and being relegated instead to eating her food only after everyone else had finished. There were instances when she ran out of food and was prohibited from preparing more for herself. Moreover, she was forbidden from expressing joy freely and from laughing aloud.
What made her situation worse was an abusive husband, subjecting her to physical violence and death threats. The cycle of assault and harassment persisted despite bearing two children.
A point came when Savita made the harrowing decision to end her life. One day, as she stood on the brink and prepared to hang herself from the ceiling fan, her mother-in-law observed and remained a silent spectator. Savita endured everything, but her patience ran out when her husband attempted to harm their child. This sight prompted her to summon every ounce of strength and rescue her son from his grasp.
It was then that Savita realised that it was futile to sacrifice her life for individuals who didn’t even care for her well-being. So, she made a courageous choice and left the home forever with her two children and a mere sum of Rs 2700 in hand. After days of her arduous journey, she carved a path forward and established a beauty salon. She also offered tuition to make ends meet.
After some time, she decided to resume her education, and she enrolled in a BA programme in Public Administration. It was during this time that she discovered the civil service exam, and she decided to undertake the challenge. With her hard work and dedication, she cracked the exam in her very first attempt, and at the age of 24, she secured the esteemed position of chief municipal officer.
Simultaneously, she has ascended the ranks within the government hierarchy; currently, she holds the role of Joint Director of Urban Administration for the Gwalior and Chambal regions.
Her journey is truly a saga of unwavering courage, persistence, and unyielding faith in her dreams against all odds!
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