Soumya Lata Kumari encountered five setbacks before achieving her dream of becoming a Block Panchayati Raj Officer in the Bihar government. The unwavering support of her father and 14 years of relentless effort were instrumental in her journey to success.
A young girl was confronted with the pressure of becoming a child bride while still in class 9. Fortunately, her father stepped in as her unwavering supporter, rejecting family demands and giving her the freedom to pursue her own aspirations. When she expressed her ambition to become an administrative officer, he wholeheartedly supported her aspirations. Today, that girl, Soumyalata Kumari from Patna, Bihar, has realized her dream by being selected as a Block Panchayati Raj Officer in the Bihar government. This achievement is not merely a job; it symbolizes her father’s 14 years of relentless dedication and commitment to her success.
Family
According to reports, Soumyalata's father operates a small grocery store in their village. As the eldest of five siblings, she has always been a diligent student. Her father nurtured a dream of seeing her become an administrative officer, and even though Soumyalata was young and hadn’t fully contemplated this path, his aspirations began to take root. After she excelled in the 6th grade, he took the bold step of enrolling her directly into the 8th grade, encouraging her to study diligently with the hope that one day her name would grace the newspapers. Soumyalata continued to shine academically, achieving the impressive 15th rank in Bihar in her 10th grade examinations.
Father's support
When Soumyalata was in class 9, a marriage proposal arrived. Family and relatives urged her parents to accept it, fearing that finding a suitable match would become increasingly difficult as she aged. However, her father remained resolute, determined to prioritise his daughter's education. Standing firm against the pressure, he declared that Soumyalata would continue her studies. To protect her future, he even sold a small piece of their land to ensure her education would not be compromised.
Meeting Guru Rahman
After finishing her class 12, Soumyalata pursued a BA Honors degree in Geography and began preparing for the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam. Despite her academic ambitions, the pressure to marry continued to loom over her. During this critical period, she crossed paths with Guru Rahman, a coach for students preparing for administrative services exams. This meeting proved to be a pivotal moment in her life, providing her with the guidance and motivation she needed to stay focused on her goals.
BPSC Exam
Her father confided in Guru Rahman about their financial challenges, even expressing his readiness to sell their farm if necessary to support Soumyalata’s dreams. Guru Rahman, seeing potential in her, assured him of his commitment to help Soumyalata become an officer. After testing her abilities and being impressed by her performance, he decided to mentor her. After graduating in 2016, Soumyalata sat for the BPSC exam in 2017. Although she successfully cleared the preliminary round, she had to pause her journey due to her young age.
From failure to success
Undeterred by her previous setbacks, Soumyalata attempted the exam again the following year. She successfully cleared the prelims, mains, and even the interview, yet her name was absent from the final results. The years 2019, 2020, and 2021 brought similar disappointments, including a failure in the final results of the Bihar Police Sub-Inspector recruitment exam. After facing five consecutive obstacles, Soumyalata's perseverance finally paid off when she cleared the BPSC exam. She was assigned to the Mohanpur block in Samastipur district. At last, her father's 14 years of unwavering dedication had come to fruition.
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