Meet IAS officer who is mother of two, victim of domestic violence, passed civil services exam in first attempt

Civil servant exams are undoubtedly one of the toughest in the country and clearing it is no mean feat. The success story becomes an even more telling tale when the candidates pass the exam in the face of adversity. Today, we are going to talk about IAS officer Savita Pradhan, who is a mother of two and has been a victim of domestic violence.

Born into a tribal family in Madhya Pradesh's Mandai village, Savita's family's financial condition wasn't favourable for studies. The scholarship she used to receive while in school, however, was the sole reason her parents let her pursue her education. She nonetheless completed class 10, being the first girl in her village to do so. After Class 10, she got admission to a school that was 7 km away. The bus fare of Rs 2 for a round trip was unaffordable. Her mother had to take up a small-time job to pay for the fare. Finally, they relocated to the village where her school was. She studied science and aspired to become a doctor. As Savita was finishing her education, a wealthy family proposed marriage to her. She was just 16 then. Her life turned upside down.

After getting married, Savita's in-laws didn't treat her well  She was subjected to a number of limitations at home, including not being allowed to eat at the dinner table with everyone else. She was asked to eat her meals after everyone at home had eaten. Many times she would run of out food and wouldn't be allowed to prepare food for herself again. Many times, she would take the rotis to the bathroom and eat. She was also forbidden from laughing aloud. Her husband was no good and would often hit her and threaten to kill her. Even after having two kids, her in-laws continued to assault and harass her.

Unable to bear the torture anymore, Savita chose to end her life one day. Her mother-in-law was watching her from a window even as she was about to hang herself from the ceiling fan. Savita's mother-in-law didn't do anything save her, though. Her husband attempted to physically harm her son. She gathered all her strength and snatched the child from him. It is then that Savita realised it was futile to give up her life for the people who didn't care for her at all.

Savita then decided to leave her home and left with both her children and Rs 2700. She ran a beauty salon and gave tuitions to children to make ends meet. Her parents and siblings were supportive and she enrolled for a BA in Public Administration. Savita topped the examination at Barkatullah University, Bhopal.  

She then came to know about state civil services and she took the examination for it and cracked it in the very first attempt. At 24 years old, She was posted as a chief municipal officer.

After getting divorced, she found love again. Meanwhile, she has climbed up the government ladder and is currently the joint director, urban administration for Gwalior and Chambal. 

She also has a YouTube channel called ‘Himmat wali Ladkiyan’.