Women's Day 2023: Komal Ganatra, IRS; From A Dowry Victim To A Celebrated Officer

Add as a preferred source on Google

Komal Gantra was on seventh heaven when she heard that she was on the selected batch of 2013 IRS officers of UPSC. However, she had pass through what seemed like a round of hell to reach this seventh heaven. Komal's success story tells us how the determination can push a person to a stellar level through achievements. She was a happy go lucky girl once upon a time who soon turned into a hard headed stiff upper lipped beaurocrat who had seen it all. Something obviously happened in Komal's life that broke her totally and left her devastated.

Komal Ganatra: Early Life

Her life was not a smooth sailing one. There are quite a few salient points of learning from her life. One should not be bogged down by circumstances. As she says when you are determined, nothing can stop you from reaching your destination. It is how you decide to take things, and it is up to you how to respond to your situations. You do not need to respond at times at all. Abandoned women, like Komal are plenty in our country and her story is a lesson in life that all of us need to learn and benefit from.

Born in Gujarat in 1982, Komal grew up in an ordinary household, completed her education in Gujarati medium. It was her childhood dream to clear the UPSC which she took up in 2008 and cleared the mains exam of Gujarat Public Service Commission in 2008. During this time, a seemingly good proposal or a match was proposed for her which her parents duly accepted. Her marriage was fixed and the groom was from New Zealand. For this groom's sake, she had even cancelled the UPSC interview. The marriage was conducted within a few days of this occurrence.

Upto those fifteen days, she was tortured by her in laws as the Dowry she had given was inadequate according to them. It reached the peak when after fifteen days, she was thrown out of her marital home and everything came crumbling down now, An abject gloom prevailed in Komal's household. In the meanwhile, Komal's husband, left India for New Zealand and was untraceable after that. Komals pleas to the government officials of her city fell on deaf ears. She joined her parents in Savakundla, Gujarat.

Komal Ganatra: Story Begins

Her belief in herself was shaken and pulverized. Self-esteem had broken into shreds. Her hopes had left her. To add to it, the barbs of the neighbours was impossible to grin and bear with any more. Komal held a diploma in engineering and hence decided to relocate to a village little far away from where her parents stayed, She started a new life as a primary school teacher drawing a measly salary of 5000 rupees per month. As days passed by, her resolve to clear UPSC strengthened and she immersed herself deeply in the preparations and her job both of which were the only source of happiness at that point in time for Komal.

Komal faced serious challenges in this new town as there was no proper power supply and coaching for IAS. She could not get an English newspaper to study the current affairs. However, she underwent a brief stint at Sardar Patel Institute run by the Gujarat government. It was her fourth attempt that cleared her candidature and she passed scoring an AIR of 591 in 2013.. Komal had opted for History, and Gujarati literature and the medium of interview was Gujarati.

She finally received her placement as an IRS officer. Her life has been a fight for survival at every stage and she deserves every bit of the honour she has received after her win.