Meet Savita Pradhan who faced poverty, braved domestic abuse to become an IAS officer

In a society where women, especially from tribal backgrounds, face many challenges, Savita Pradhan’s is a story of hope, strength and resilience. Despite facing domestic abuse and unimaginable struggles, she broke fought against the odds and became a government officer. Savita’s life is a powerful example of overcoming adversity through determination and education.

Savita, who grew up in a small village without basic facilities, used education to change her life and rise to a position where she can now help others. Her journey shows that with hard work and learning, it's possible to overcome obstacles and achieve success. Today, she inspires many by proving that no challenge is too great when you have education on your side.

Early education amidst poverty

Savita's journey began in a small tribal village, Mandai in Madhya Pradesh, where life was devoid of modern comforts. Despite these challenges, her parents valued education, a rare stance in a community where many girls remained uneducated. Savita’s schooling began under strenuous circumstances. She would wake up before dawn to help her family in the fields, a routine that left her exhausted, yet she remained steadfast in her pursuit of education.

“Going to school meant walking several kilometers after my morning chores. It was exhausting, but it was my doorway to a different life,” she recalls.

Choosing Biology: a path toward a dream

Savita's passion for learning was particularly ignited by the sciences. She chose biology in high school with a specific goal: to become a doctor. This decision was fueled by her realisation that studying biology could lead her to pass the PMT exam, a gateway to medical school.

“I knew that if I wanted to change my life and help others, becoming a doctor was the way. Biology fascinated me, and it seemed like the right path,” Savita explains.

Forced into marriage: dreams derailed

As Savita began to nurture her dreams of becoming a doctor, her life took a sharp turn. At a young age, she was forced into a marriage arranged by her parents, who were swayed  by the prospect of marrying her into a 'respectable' and wealthy family.

This decision was made without her consent, and it put a stop to her educational ambitions. “I tried to protest. I told my father I didn’t want to marry; I wanted to study. But the decision was already made,” she recounts the overwhelming pressure and the feeling of helplessness that followed.

Coping with abuse and neglect

The marriage, far from being a protective and nurturing alliance, became a source of profound suffering for Savita.

Her in-laws were abusive, and she was treated more like a servant than a family member. Savita shares a particularly harrowing instance, “I would hide rotis in my clothes to eat later because they wouldn't feed me enough. It was survival.” This period marked her life with deep scars and unspoken agony.

Financial and emotional struggles

The abuse wasn’t just physical but also financial and emotional. Savita was isolated from any form of support.

“I had no money, no way to get to school. I was completely dependent on these people who saw me as nothing more than an inconvenience,” she explains. The lack of financial independence significantly hindered her ability to pursue her studies and dreams during this period.

Breaking free

Despite the dire circumstances, Savita’s resolve to change her situation grew stronger. The turning point came when she decided to leave her abusive husband, a decision fraught with risk and uncertainty but driven by the desperate need for freedom and a better life for herself and her children. “One day, I just knew I couldn’t do it anymore. For my children, for myself, I had to leave,” she says, describing the moment she chose to end her marriage and reclaim her life.

A leap into the unknown

Faced with relentless abuse and neglect, Savita reached a breaking point. The decision to leave her husband was not made lightly; it was fraught with fear of societal judgment and concerns about her and her children's future. "Leaving was like stepping into the dark with no idea where the light was," Savita describes. She packed minimal belongings one night, her heart pounding with the risk of the unknown but fueled by the hope for a better life for her children.

Return to her roots

Upon returning to her parents’ home, Savita was met with mixed reactions. While her mother supported her decision, there was tension, as her actions were not typically accepted in their community. "My mother was my rock. She helped me find strength when I felt broken," she recalls. This period was crucial as she navigated her new reality, relying heavily on her family's emotional support while facing the community's scrutiny.

Rebuilding her life

Determined to rebuild her life and ensure a secure future for her children, Savita took on multiple jobs. She worked as a seamstress during the day and cleaned offices at night. Each job presented its challenges, from long hours to the physical toll on her body. "Every day was a test of my limits, but every night, seeing my children asleep, I knew I had to keep going," she reflects on the hardships of balancing work, studies, and motherhood.

Continuing education against all odds

Despite the exhaustion from work, Savita resumed her education. She enrolled in a distance learning program, often studying late into the night after her children were asleep. She recalls, "There were nights I studied by the light of a single bulb, fighting off sleep, determined to change our lives." Her commitment to education was driven by her unyielding desire to never return to a life of dependency and abuse.

After leaving an abusive marriage and completing her bachelor's degree after returning to her family home, she knew that furthering her education was essential for a stable future. With a clear goal in mind, Savita enrolled in an MA program, balancing her roles as a mother and a worker while dedicating herself to her studies. Her days were packed, beginning before sunrise and ending after sunset, yet she managed to maintain her focus on her academic goals. Despite the exhaustion, Savita studied tirelessly late into the night, often sacrificing sleep to complete her coursework.

Facing cruelty with courage

Savita's path to educational success was marked by severe personal challenges, including a shocking incident of cruelty from her estranged husband. In an attempt to undermine her efforts and break her spirit, he once broke into her home and poured urine over her, when she was about to leave for an exam. This act was meant to degrade and humiliate her, targeting both her dignity and her academic aspirations but by now she was so clear about her goals that all that beating meant nothing to her. She explains, "Each challenge, no matter how brutal, only fueled my determination to succeed." Instead of giving in, she used this adversity as motivation to continue her education with even greater fervor.

Savita eventually completed her MA with excellent grades, topping college in her subject Public Administration, a significant achievement that laid the groundwork for her future successes. This accomplishment was more than just a personal victory; it was a profound statement against those who tried to oppress her.

Discovering a new path: the civil services

While finishing her MA, Savita read something important in an employment newspaper. It was about jobs in civil services, mentioning a starting salary of about 16,000 rupees. For Savita, who wanted to give her children a better life and education, this job seemed like a great opportunity. "When I saw how much I could earn with a civil services job, I knew this was my chance to make sure my kids would have a good future," she explains. At that time, her goal was simple: to earn enough to support her family and give her children better opportunities than she had.

The turning point

After years of struggle and perseverance, Savita's efforts bore fruit when she cracked the state civil services exam in her first attempt and secured a respectable position in the government. At that time, the Madhya Pradesh government provided 25,000 rupees as a scholarship to each tribal student for qualifying each of the three tiers of civil services. As she had cleared all three, she was rewarded 75,000 rupees by the government. Savita recalls that when she got this money, she was struggling to make ends meet and any person in her position would have gone mad if they received that kind of money but she didn’t.

This achievement was more than a job; it was a symbol of her independence and a means to make a lasting difference. "The day I got the job, I felt like I had finally taken control of my destiny. Now I was in a position to help others," she shares, highlighting the significance of this milestone in her journey towards empowerment.

Overcoming personal challenges to inspire change

Savita Pradhan's journey from the confines of an abusive marriage to a significant governmental role is a testament to her resilience and determination. Despite facing severe personal setbacks, including forced marriage and domestic abuse, she used these experiences as a catalyst for her advocacy work. By overcoming her challenges, Savita became a beacon of hope and a role model for women in similar situations, proving that personal liberation can lead to broader societal change.

Advocating for education and women's rights

Savita’s work in the government primarily focuses on improving the lives of women and children in her community, particularly in the realms of education and women's rights. Recognizing the transformative power of education from her own life, she dedicates her efforts to ensuring that educational opportunities are accessible to all, especially girls from marginalized communities. Her advocacy is driven by her belief that education is a critical tool for empowerment and social equity.

Empowering women

In her role as a government official, Savita actively participates in initiatives designed to empower women economically and socially. She leverages her position to implement programs that support women's independence and enhance their role in society. Through these initiatives, Savita aims to create lasting changes that enable women to become self-reliant, thereby improving their status within the community and ensuring they have a voice in shaping their lives and surroundings.

Savita Pradhan's story is a powerful example of human resilience and the transformative power of education. From a young girl in a tribal village to a respected government official, her journey is filled with lessons of courage, hope, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

"Never give up, no matter how hard it gets. Education is your weapon to change the world around you, and it's worth every struggle," Savita concludes with a message of hope for all.

(This article is part of a collaboration with Josh Talks)