She Wanted To End Her Life Due To Domestic Violence But She Stopped For Her Child - Later She Cracked Civil Service Exam

UPSC is regarded as one of the toughest exams in the world which calls for the need for relentless dedication and hard work. Every year, around 10 to 13 lakh students sit for the exams and only about 180 students are able to qualify. We get to hear stories of people coming from various different backgrounds, breaking all odds to secure ranks in UPSC. This year, too, we came across one such story, of a mother who cracked the exam at 24, to give herself and her child a better life. Read to know the heart-touching story of IAS Savita Pradhan.

Savita’s Early Childhood & Love For Education

Savita was born in a tribal family in Mandai Village of Madhya Pradesh. Throughout her childhood, she saw her family struggling with financial problems. Which made her education seem a distant dream. Yet, her family always supported her, which was quite rare since she came from a community where girl education wasn’t something people prioritized.

Determined to achieve something in life she attained an academic scholarship which made it possible for her to complete her matriculation. Savita was the first girl in her village to reach this milestone and it wasn’t easy. She used to wake up early to help her family so that she could have enough time to study for the rest of the day. 

“Going to school meant walking several kilometers after my morning chores. It was exhausting, but it was my doorway to a different life,” Savita shared in an interview with Josh Talks.

Also read:

A single mother's inspiring story of pursuit of happiness

Inspiring Story of Niharika

The secret behind N Ambika's inspiring story of becoming an IPS Officer

Shattered Dreams

Savita found herself deeply inclined towards sciences. She dreams of becoming a doctor and decided to take biology in high school as it could help her clear the PMT exam. 

“I knew that if I wanted to change my life and help others, becoming a doctor was the way. Biology fascinated me, and it seemed like the right path,” she shared

Unfortunately, she couldn't pursue her dream for long as her family forcefully got her married into a wealthy family, when she was just 16, putting an end to her dreams. Savita shared that she tried to protest and clearly told her father that she didn’t want to marry yet but she had no say in the decision.

The Abuse Started

While her in-laws were wealthy, they never treated her well. Her husband used to hit her and even threatened to end her life. The conditions were so that she wasn’t even allowed to sit with the family, even at the dining table, and had to eat her meals after everyone else was done. Savita often had to sleep without eating anything as she was not allowed to prepare more food for herself even if nothing was left. At times, she had to take her meals in the bathroom.

The torture wasn’t just physical. They abused her financially and emotionally as well. Savita neither had the support nor the finances to complete her studies. 

The Turning Point In Savita’s Life

This cycle of abuse continued even after she gave birth to two children. She eventually reached a point where she wanted to end her life however her husband threatened to harm her child if she did anything. She gathered all her strength to save her child and that is when the realization hit her. It would be meaningless to end her life because of people who had no regard for her. 

She decided to change her life, for herself and her children. She left her home with her two children and Rs 2700 in her hand. She worked tirelessly to realize her dream. From salon service to tuition at home, she did it all. 

Savita’s family came to her support and she eventually took admission in the BA program in Public Administration at Barkatullah University, Bhopal. She passed the exam with flying colours. 

Later, she got to know about the civil service exams and decided to take a chance. This life-changing decision transformed her life completely. IAS Savita Pradhan is presently serving as the Joint Director of Urban Administration with the Madhya Pradesh Government.

Did you find IAS Savita Pradhan’s story inspiring? Let us know in the comments.