The 2006 competitive examinations for India’s civil services is notable for the number of young people from non privileged backgrounds who feature in the merit list. For the first time, none from India’s elite metros feature in the top ten.
We will bring you some amazing success stories in this special series. Today, meet a rickshaw vendor’s son from Varanasi who is one of the IAS toppers this year.
Tears ran down Govind Jaiswal’s face and refused to stop. Staring him in the face was the only thing he had ever wanted, and now that he had achieved it, he couldn’t even reach out for the keys on his cellphone.
He waited till the tears dried up, till the news sunk in and made that one phone call on which depended the hopes of his entire family.
Govind, 24, the son of an uneducated rickshaw vendor in Varanasi, had grown up with cruel taunts like ‘However much you study, you will still be a rickshawpuller.’ He had studied with cotton stuffed in his ears to drown the noise of printing machines and generators below his window in a poor neighbourhood where small workshops existed cheek by jowl with tiny residential quarters.
He had given Math tuitions to supplement the paltry sum his father could afford to send him each month. His ailing father had sold a small plot of land to give Govind about Rs 40,000 so that he could move to Delhi which would provide him a better place to study.
Throughout his life, he had lived with only one dream — to become an officer of the Indian Administrative Service. For him that was the only way. And when he broke the news to his family, that he was ranked 48 among 474 successful candidates in his first attempt at the exam — it was the turn of his three sisters and father to weep with unbridled joy.
‘Besides the Civil Services, I had no option’
Icould not afford to have any other career goal. My life would have been absolutely futile had I not made it into the civil services,” says Govind, just back from his medicals in New Delhi, mandatory for the IAS.
“You must understand that my circumstances were such that besides the Civil Services, I had no option. I didn’t have much of a chance with lower government jobs because they are mostly fixed, neither could I start a business because I had no money. The only thing I could do was work hard at my studies.”
It was almost impossible for him to study in the one room he shared with his family. To add to his woes was the power cut that extended between 10 and 14 hours every day. The moment the lights went out, he had to shut the window to block out the deafening noise of generators in the many workshops around his home.
So in search for a quiet place to study, he briefly shared a friend’s room at the Banaras Hindu University. Since that did not help him much, he did what many civil services aspirants in northern India do — he moved to New Delhi.
His father sold his last plot of land for his son’s dream
F or his son to make a fresh start in a city Govind had never visited before, Narayan Jaiswal, Govind’s father, sold the only remaining plot of land he had saved after getting his three daughters married.
Working for ten years at the government ration shop, Narayan earned a living by weighing goods at the store. One day when the shop shut down, he bought one rickshaw and hired it out. He added three more and at one time was prosperous enough to own about 36 rickshaws.
That was a period of financial security and Narayan was prudent enough to buy three small plots of land. With three daughters to marry off, he knew he would need it in times to come. But bad times soon befell the family. His wife passed away when Govind was in school. For 10 years there was acute hardship. The rickshaws dwindled.
On his meager earnings, the uneducated rickshaw vendor with a hearing disability continued the education of his children. The girls were married after their graduation — Narayan sold two pieces of land for the weddings, the last plot was sold to achieve his Govinda’s dream.
Narayan gave his son Rs 40,000 to prepare for his Civil Services exam in New Delhi and pursue his childhood dream of becoming an IAS officer. For the next three years, he sent his son between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 every month, sometimes foregoing the expense of treating the septic wound in his foot that continues to nag him till today.
Courier boys found his house with difficulty; now the fruitwallah will tell you where the ‘IAS’ house is’
Outside his narrow lane, opposite the Varanasi City railway station, where Narayan Jaiswal parks his rickshaws and spends most of his waking hours, he still walks barefooted with a bandage, one end hanging loose and scraping the dirty road.
“Beyond this year, my father could not have afforded to send Govind any more money. It was getting very tough for him. Govind was earning Rs 1,500 from tuitions, I don’t know what he would have done if he didn’t make it to the IAS this year. My father could not sleep for 10 days before the results came,” says Govind’s eldest sister Nirmala, whose son is almost the same age as her brother.
Now that he will earn Rs 8,000 as his starting salary during his two-year training period in Mussoorie, Govind says his first priority is getting good treatment for his father’s wound.
“I want to look after him, I don’t know if he will leave Varanasi but I will definitely move him out of this rented room that we have lived for 35 years.”
If his son’s new job dramatically changes things for the better, Narayan Jaiswal is quite unaffected by it. He is surprised by the scores of journalists and well wishers flocking to his house.
Until now, courier delivery boys found his house with great difficulty but now even the fruit cart-wallah, one-and-a-half kilometres away, will tell you where the ‘IAS’ house is.
“I like my work. I haven’t decided about the future — what could be a better place than Kashi? As long as my son looks after me, what else can one want?” he says, visibly uncomfortable with the media spotlight.
‘My character will be put to the test, then I want to see what a real man I am’
Having lived his life in Varanasi, the holy city on the banks of the Ganga, Govind has given his home state Uttar Pradesh as his preferred region of posting. If he doesn’t get UP, he is open to being sent to any state in India.
“Varanasi needs a tight administration. As for me, I want to be a good officer. We are the agents of change and I as an administrator would like to inform common people about their right to know, their right to information. The benefit should finally go to the people.”
His hero is President A P J Abdul Kalam. Govind is reading the Hindi translation of the President’s best-selling book On Wings of Fire and takes out a nicely thumbed copy from a plastic bag.
“After Gandhiji, President Kalam has given us a dream and the power to dream. His dream is of a developed India and he is a symbol of many common people’s dreams.”
In a time when the Indian bureaucracy has its drawbacks like a lack of accountability, corruption and perpetuating a system that was handed down by the British to rule a subordinate population Govind’s thoughts are fired by the idealism of youth. He insists his idealism will not be watered down in future years, that he will not allow himself to be influenced.
“I am a product of my circumstances that has been wrought with hardships. When I go out as an officer my character will be put to the test, and then I want to see what a real man I am.”
Courtesy: Rediff.com
Source: http://upscportal.com/civilservices/success_story/govind_jaiswal
I like this. I also want to be an I.A.S. Officer.
Please inform me with important notifications.
Thank you.
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this is very inspirational story .
i want to become an ias officer . but i dnt how to become ias . so i request u to send the valuable suggestions to my mail.
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i am final year engg dept B.tech(IT)
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i like it.i also want to be an ias officer.but i am confused in selecting the subject.please help me
.im a mech. engg. student.
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Awesome dude..!
But u should b a true officer..
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Awesome story… Really inspiration…. I also want to become an IAS officer. I dont know how to become IAS and which subject i have to select… I am MBA student..
Kindly help me..
Thank you…
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This is really great moivational story …..I really lie this….
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Govind i read your success story. And i often your interview,which is recorded in my cell phone. I m really inspired to u. Now a day i am facing stress about my career. I want to become an ias. But i am afread about fail.
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deepak,,stress is normal thing for every one, i was also having same situation many time. but main thing that u have to counter ur stress and fruetration. thats make u real man
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to deepak: never be afraid.n never fear failure..trust in God n urself..nothing is impossible..
to govind:wish u all good luck..be an honest officer-i know u will be 🙂
i want to be an ias officer…n i am working towards it..i hope i ll reap success,with God’s grace.. 🙂
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your story is inspirational.i also believe tat 1 can do everything if he want.According to me if we work with heart we will definitely success.
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This is really very inspirational story and i also want to become an ias officer . please send me more valuable or precious advices regarding ias preparation and also suggest best subject which i should select. I am ICWA/CMA
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sriram……… this is a very inspiring real story…..
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ITS A VERY HEART TOUCHING STORY, govind sir i don’t know personally but u inspired me a lot.. u r a HERO. i also want to become as u
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i am a school student my only dream is to become an IAS officer but i know its not an easy task .whenever i get free time i search for such motivational stories and your story is really inspiring.the biggest challenge for me is to choose a good stream .please help me.
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A great inspiration, proves once again that hard work & dedication can accomplish any undertaking. Thumsup to the gym.
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it is very inspirational story for me. At the age of my childhood i want to be an ias officer. i am a engineering student of computer science. there is a gap of 2 years in my study that is in between intermediate(12) and b.tech(cs) , can u tell me is there any problem while i will be facing interview of UPSC examination? plz reply i am very confused.
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awesome. thax 4 giving such a motivatioal story. it wud surely help us sir.
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i like this stories and i also want to become an ias officer so plz some suggestions and advices to send my e-mail id
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Wo¡ I have learnt many good things and know what i did wrong earlier . .
Thanks
§ANIMESH0KUMAR§
from
¤RANCHI¤
animeshlovesite@gmail.com
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Amazing life story
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Really sir u are great i make u as ideal from today bless me that i will become an ias officer .id have completed electronics engineering pls instruct me that subject selection
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First of all its important to make a true believe on self-confidence, Start should be wonderful.
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i am read ur inspirational story sir my dream is become ias oficer but i dont know how to study it and wich subject we select plese help me on my email i am waiting ur thank u
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hard work resulted i the end. Trully very inspirational.
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congratulations…………………………
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ITS REALLY INSPIRE ME ALOT…….THANKS GOVIND…
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Sir, I readed u r story,which motivated me,my dream is 2 b an a I.A.S officer frm my childhood days n also my parents dreams..i m field frm politcl sci nd in 1st yr of graduatn…i want u 2 suggest me…wich vl help me in my future acording to ur instructn….
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it’s such a very motivated story i also want to be an IPS officer
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realy this is very inspiring story.mera bhi only 1 dream hai i.a.s. Bn na and mai hard work bhi kr rhi hu,bt mai kbhi nirash ho jati hu ki pta nhi bn paungi ya nhi.asa kya kabhi apke sath nhi hota tha and aap kya krte the asi situation me.i salute you sir and jab m apni manjil pa lungi,tb aapse jrur milungi.
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i am the bba student: i unknwn about ias study planner andw its exam pattern so plz send and suggeprtst about this exam..
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This is an awsome real story for inspiration…u r a real hero govind ji….i truly admire u for your persistant hardwork and perseverance,,hats off to ur dad who is d backbone of ur success….
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your story is so inspring sir it is verymuch helpful for many students to reach their goal
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Awsome …..
:):);)
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this is the real win in life….
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Everyone gets paid for their hard work if not now then soon very soon 🙂
For general studies mains ias coaching i am studying from this course…
http://www.wiziq.com/course/7109-upsc-civil-services-general-studies-prelims-cum-mains-exam-preparation
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Dont be afraid anything in life because fear has only one meaning face everything and recover for that purpose u shud read thaughts of swami vivekanand and apply it
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u r thereal hero….
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really awesme… m vry much impresd by dis story nd my dream to become an IAS officer pls help me which subject i hv to choose
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heads of to you man …congracts
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sir,really motivating sir please forward some valuable suggestion for me i m first yr b.tech student of e.c.e department from wbut ,i want to be an IAS officer at any cost .what type of personalities should i develope for fulfiling my dream, sir , plz send
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i too will crack ias in my first attempt this year with ur inspiration
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really it,s heart touching story.if a person is a bank employee and his dream to be a IAS officer,how can he manage his study.he also can,t go for preparetion to institute.please help me sir.i want your suggestion.
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Many like you in India are struggling with their lives. Be a ray of hope to them. It is my sincere request. Difficulties do come in life to enjoy the sweetest fruits of success. YOU NEVER GAVE up during your hardest times. Really great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Hats off…………………
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real iron man
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impressive!!!!
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After reading, this valuable story, ,
Sir please givesome valuable suggestion, i am the aspirant of civil services, now im complete my graduation
sir it is my humble request u to please give me some valuable suggestion
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sir.. Im studing in degree b.com this year complete. my age 20 and caste O.C. how many attems i will write the civill exams. and age limit. some gudence nots for succeesfull police officers. plz tell me sir my full amibition is IPS IPS IPS….
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very good inspirational story. I like it.
also l’m want to be an I.A.S officer
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Sir i m tarun from science maths 12th class i m also want to be a ias officer
Plz give me some suggestion.
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Great sir,A hatss off to you not just because u r an IAS officer but also beccuse of your struggle.Its me Ankita from Kolkata.
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awesome a piloerecting story poverty is not a barrier to reach into peak of success it is painstaking labour reinforce nd energise our dream to come with flyng colour vow down my heads before you sir the pepole lyk u cn only raise the veil of darkness frm our society i wish if i were like u sir
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it is a good inspiration for every Indians.if we have a dream. we can get it.
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realy hard work is the point of success.i m getting a prepation for bank po bt my mind is going off what will i do.any body will tell me plz responce .this is 07830224332 mobile no. plz contect me for any advice by which i got a chance plz sir..
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Hy,gobind sir aap ne ak bahut bada jit hasil ki h “log kahte h ki sapna tut gaya par sapna nahi nind tuta karti h,himat se kuch nahi hota h hausal se udan kiya karte h” “prisaram karne walo ki kavi haar nahi hoti mehnat karne walo ki hamesa jay jay kar hoti h ” -dewvansh kumar
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sir i also want tn be an IAS officer.Please inform me with important notification and valuable suggesions.Thank you
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I used to read it whenever I feel low or I lost my momentum in my preparation.
Rightly said that any successful people is the product of circumstances in their life.
One should knows the value of their dream and sacrifice of your parents supporting you Success all depends on how badly you want it.
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Very inspiring and I want to be a IAS officer, I passed out my three year diploma in mechanical engineering after +2 please tell me how can I be a IAS officer
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Best of luck
India awaits heroes like u
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Nice to hear about ur story. Even I wanted to become an IAS officer. Please I need some suggestion from u sir. Is coaching is important? Give some tips for the preparation.
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Really it is a heart touching story.govind sir is hero and an ideal for everybody who want to become IAS officer.I wanna become IAS & i will prepare for it keeping govind sir’s story in my mind.
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Really it’s a heart touching story.Govind sir is a hero & an ideal for everybody who want to become an IAS officer. Sir I wanna become IAS keeping this story in my mind.really u r my ideal……
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