New Delhi: In the dusty lanes of Bharatpur’s Atal Bandh, where the sizzle of pakoras once mingled with dreams of a brighter future, Govind Kumar’s humble cart has birthed a beacon of aspiration.
For 25 years, he toiled under scorching suns and biting chills, frying snacks to feed his family of seven in a single cramped room. Today, his eldest daughter, Deepesh Kumari, stands tall as an IAS officer – a testament to unyielding grit and the transformative might of education.
Deepesh’s childhood unfolded in that modest space, shared with four siblings, where flickering kerosene lamps lit her path through textbooks. Undeterred by blackouts or bare finances, she aced her schooling at Shishu Adarsh Vidya Mandir, clinching 98% in Class 10 and 89% in Class 12. Her academic ascent continued with a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from MBM Engineering College, Jodhpur, followed by an M.Tech from IIT Bombay – a rare feat for a family scraping by on street earnings.
Post-graduation, Deepesh briefly joined a private firm, but her heart yearned for public service. Quitting after a year, she hunkered down in a Delhi rental, slashing expenses to fuel her UPSC prep. Her 2020 debut ended in heartbreak, yet resilience roared back. In 2021, perseverance triumphed: she bagged All India Rank 93, topping the EWS category at fourth place, earning her IAS badge in the Jharkhand cadre.
Govind’s sacrifices – skipping meals to pay fees – echo in Deepesh’s success, inspiring her siblings: one sister’s a doctor at Safdarjung Hospital, while two brothers pursue MBBS at AIIMS Guwahati and Latur. “We’re poor, but your ambitions must soar,” Govind would say. Deepesh’s saga whispers to aspirants: Barriers bow to bold wills.