Deepesh Kumari, hailing from Bharatpur, Rajasthan, has carved her name in the list of India’s most inspiring UPSC success stories. But behind her remarkable achievement stands an even more inspiring figure, her father, Govind Kumar. For 25 years, Govind sold pakoras and namkeen to support his family of seven, ensuring all five of his children received a quality education despite their modest means. Her journey is a powerful testament to grit, determination, and the strength of dreams.
Deepesh grew up in a small room shared with six other family members. Space was tight, and luxuries were non-existent. But limitations never became excuses. In that cramped room, Deepesh dreamed big, and chased those dreams with relentless focus.
As the eldest of five siblings, Deepesh led by example. A brilliant student from the start, she attended Shishu Adarsh Vidya Mandir, scoring 98% in her class 10 and 89% in her class 12. She pursued BTech in Civil Engineering from MBM Engineering College, Jodhpur, and went on to complete her MTech from the prestigious IIT Bombay. After a year in a private job, Deepesh made a life-changing decision, she quit her job to prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, funding her preparation with her own savings.
Her first attempt in 2020 didn’t bring the desired result. But instead of giving up, she doubled down on her efforts. She moved to Delhi for better preparation and worked harder than ever. In her second attempt in 2021, Deepesh cracked the exam with an impressive All India Rank of 93, and secured 4th rank in the EWS category. Her dream of becoming an IAS officer had finally come true.
Deepesh's success set off a ripple effect within her family. After completing her IAS training, she was allotted the Jharkhand cadre. Her journey inspired her younger siblings as well, her sister became a doctor at Safdarjung Hospital, while her brothers are pursuing MBBS, one at AIIMS Guwahati and the other in Latur. This amazing family has shown that with hard work and strong values, no obstacle is too big to overcome.