Rising from Shadows: Komal Ganatra's UPSC Journey 

January 18, 2024

4 Minutes

Komal Ganatra on Josh Talks

Introduction

Komal Ganatra who cleared the UPSC examination in the year 2012 with AIR 591, stands as a role model for all the young aspirants who are struggling and facing countless challenges in life. Here is her journey of how she regained her self-respect after a shattering and sudden change occurred in her life.

Father’s Teachings

Komal’s education was done in Gujarati medium. To this day, she is proud of studying in her native language because it played a vital role in her UPSC success. When she cleared the paper, she was the topper in Gujarati literature. Her father was a teacher who used to teach them valuable philosophies. She had two younger sisters who have succeeded in their respective fields as well, all because their father taught them to be ambitious right from their childhood. When she was four, her father taught her that she had to be an IAS when she grew up, although any awareness regarding UPSC was non-existent in their area at that time. 

Education

After her 12th standard, she wanted to become a doctor but was not able to do so because she couldn’t score the required percentage. She was not even able to go to college regularly. Back then, people used to value you only if you were a doctor or an engineer and since she couldn’t become a doctor, she decided to pursue engineering. She took admission for a diploma in engineering, but when the time to pursue a degree in engineering came, she couldn’t afford the fee. Since her mother and father were ill, she had to become mature at a young age and learn how to care for them. She completed her graduation from open university. It taught her that when you study any subject on your own, then everything stops becoming difficult for you. After that, she completed graduation in three languages from different universities. 

Facing the Darkest Time

Komal started earning a meagre sum of money when she was appointed as a teacher in a small school. She was preparing for competitive examinations and cleared Gujarat Public Service Mains. Right around that time, Komal got married to an NRI who had to move to New Zealand so he discouraged her from appearing for the interview. She tried to adjust to the situation and agreed to not give the interview, but after he left for New Zealand, he stopped all contact with Komal. Initially, she could not accept the fact that she was abandoned and decided to go after him. Her entire world had turned upside down and she was shocked beyond belief, so she contacted the New Zealand parliament. The Prime Minister and all the other officials she had contacted, replied to her, but can a person be brought back forcibly? And can your life’s only purpose be to run after a man? Definitely not. Komal believes that each person is made for a specific goal in life which they need to recognise. That's when she realised that marriage will never completely fulfill an individual and that a woman's identity is not defined by her partner. She needed to create her own identity and decided that it was time to complete the goal she had dreamed of with her father.  

Accepting the grind

Komal decided to prepare for UPSC and joined a government school as a teacher to gain some financial support. The school was located in a village that had no internet, no English newspapers, and no digital devices. Komal, who was not aware of the kind of competition going on for UPSC out in the world, simply immersed herself in her studies. She used to travel 300 Km to Ahmedabad to prepare her subjects on Saturdays and Sundays when her job hours were off. The Mains exam used to span over a period of four-to-five days and her test centre was in Bombay. Despite the lack of a railway station in her village, she would manage to reach Bombay using connecting trains and take the exam during the weekend. On Monday, she would be back at her school, after which she would work the whole week and would travel again to appear for the exam. She never felt the need to take leaves for the exam because UPSC does not test your theoretical knowledge, but your practical one which can only be gained if you’re a working individual. Staying patient and controlling her anxiety in those years was not that easy, but she still misses that time and hopes for such challenges to come her way again since problems come to bring success. So what was it that kept her going? For her, this journey was not a matter of clearing UPSC, but rather a process to revive her self-respect. To achieve success, she values three things in life: determination, hard work, and patience. 

Conclusion

Komal’s resilience and tenacity became a testament to the indomitable spirit within, proving that even the darkest chapters can be rewritten with determination and a commitment to rise above the ashes. Her journey is an inspiration to all the people who are not only facing the relentless grind of preparing for public service but are also battling the harsh realities of survival.

You can also follow Komal's story on Indian Masterminds here.