Kendrapara
(Odisha): In the latest tale of youths overcoming poverty to scale the ladder
of success, a daily wage labourer’s daughter from a remote village here has
cracked the coveted Indian Economic Service (IES) this year.
Aparajita
Priyadarshini Behera (24) of Mahanangala village has come out successful in
UPSC’s IES examination ranking 13 in all India list.
Aparajita
lays claim to fame for the fact that she hailed from an extremely humble
background. Her father Amulya Kumar Behera (50) is still toiling in a
fertilizer plant in Paradip as a labourer.
He is
on a daily pay roll and his assignment is purely contractual with monthly
remuneration pegged at less than Rs 10,000.
Aparajita
studied in a village primary and high school.
Later
she passed out plus two and degree courses from Marshaghai college near
Kendrapara.
With
good academic record in school and college, she post graduated in economics
from the Utkal University. Since then, she never looked back. Congenial and
competitive academic environs in the university spurred her to march ahead.
“My
father is my inspiration, guide and philosopher. He sweated it out to
financially support me in my studies. He never made me feel the pangs of
poverty. Whatever I achieved today is only because of my father. I dedicate my
all India job to him,” she said.
“Parental
support coupled with hard work paved way for my success. I did not believe in
shortcut route to success. I read extensively subject wise. After coming out
successful in written, I was tense for the viva. However, the interview panel
was supportive and inculcated confidence in me to reply to their queries,” she
recalled.
PTI
