Meet woman, couldn't speak English, once worked at Ratan Tata's TCS, cleared ISRO, BARC exams; later cracked UPSC with AIR..., she is...

There are countless success stories of UPSC-CSE that carry the essence of struggle, passion, and resilience. UPSC -- deemed one of the toughest exams in the country -- is a dream to millions. Why? Because of the prestigious job profiles and, most importantly, the idea of serving one's community and the nation. 

One such inspiring story is that of IAS officer Surabhi Gautam, a remarkable achiever from the modest village of Amdara in Satna district, who cleared the UPSC exam despite challenges and hurdles. Let's delve into her journey. 

Who is Surabhi Gautam?

A native of Madhya Pradesh's Satna district, Surabhi Gautam's father is a lawyer, while her mother works as a local high school teacher. Surabhi completed her early education at the village's government school. Despite limited resources, she excelled in academics. 

Surabhi's journey to the most prestigious exam in the country was anything but easy. While she was pursuing her intermediate degree, she was diagnosed with rheumatic fever, requiring her to travel with her parents every 15 days to Jabalpur--150 kilometers away--for treatment. 

However, she continued her studies despite health struggles. After graduating from high school, Surabhi aced the State Engineering Entrance Examination and enrolled in Electronics and Communication Engineering in Bhopal. Even here, she topped her college and was awarded a gold medal for her remarkable performance. 

Struggled with English 

Being a Hindi-medium student, her transition to college was challenging. Struggling with English fluency, she became the target of mockery on her very first day at the college. Determined to improve her English speaking skills, Surabhi made it a point to learn new words every day. 

After completing her engineering degree, Surabhi Gautam kickstarted her career with late veteran industrialist Ratan Tata's Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Despite the job security and high salary, she decided to quit the job and chase what was her true passion -- becoming a civil servant. 

During this period, she also took other competitive exams. She successfully cleared prestigious exams including  ISRO, BARC, GATE, MPPSC, SAIL, FCI, SSC, and SI in the Delhi Police. In 2016, she cleared the UPSC-CSE with an impressive AIR 50.