https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Overcoming Language Barrier was Tough but Not Impossible for this Woman IAS Officer

Coming from a small village in Madhya Pradesh, Surabhi Gautam had to struggle in college because of the language. Not only did she overcome the the barrier but went on to serve in Bhabha Atomic Research Center, and eventually cracked UPSC in 2016
Indian Masterminds Stories

Legendary British Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue thatcounts.”  Taking these inspiring words to heart,  Surabhi Gautam has made it through the civil services and beyond, mainly by her hard work and dedication. Her biggest problem was not being too conversant with English in school. 

Despite being selected in various government organizations like GAIL and ISRO and working as an engineer at Bhabha Atomic Research Center, she kept her goal of joining the administrative service alive. And this she achieved in 2016 by securing 50th rank in the UPSC. 

Surabhi Gautam visiting the hospital during Corona Crisisi. Courtesy : Surabhi

 Climbing the ladder of success was not easy for Surabhi.  While her relatives would try to instill confidence in her, she had to struggle on the language front. But with constant support from her parents she eventually achieved the goal. At present, she is serving as the SDM of Gujarat’s Viramgam district. 

Born in a small village of Madhya Pradesh’s  Satna district, Surabhi was good in studies  from childhood. Coming from a very conservative village and family, Surabhi’s journey was not an easy one but her parents supported her throughout. Her mother is a teacher and father a lawyer. They always motivated her to aim high. These motivations, according her, were primarily responsible for her cracking some of the toughest exams, even after going to a school with bare minimum facilities.  

Surabhi Gautam inspecting the arrangement done for migrants on station. Courtesy : Surabhi

Recalling her childhood days, Surabhi told Indian Masterminds, “The  environment in my village was not conducive to students . Some of my relatives were quite conservative and orthodox, which gave my parents a real hard time. But they did not give up, and continued to encourage me to study well.’’ 

After attending the primary school in the village, she completed her 10th and 12th from the district level government school. She did exceedingly well in the both the board exams, and cleared the entrance exam of State Engineering. This was the turning point of her. She was the first girl of her village to step out in the city for higher studies. However, this opportunity didn’t land in her hand so easily. She was also carrying big baggage of expectation on her head. At the same time, she had to fit in with other students. The most challenging thing for her was to switch the medium into English. 

Surabhi during her field visit. Courtesy : Surabhi

The Language Barrier

Hindi is the mother tongue of almost half the population of India, but no one can deny the dominance of  English in academic, Government and other circles . In such a scenario, the college journey of a Hindi medium student becomes all the ore hard. .Surabhi was facing a similar situation in the college, which was an English medium. The change of medium was not easy for her to grab. She used to struggle in every class. Talking about those days she said, “I suffered a lot because of the language. While all my classmates were speaking fluent English, I was upset to see myself struggling with a simple introduction in English. I was frustrated at times. This made me feel small for a while, but I knew this was not the solution. So, I gathered myself and started to learn English. Now, when I look back, I think that was the best decision of my life. Finally, I had a good grasp over English.’  With her tenacity and hard work Surabhi not only overcome the language barrier but also topped the University and received a gold medal! She proved that language can never be an obstacle in the field of success.  

Surabhi visiting the school she wants to refurbish. Courtesy : Surabhi

After she completed her Engineering in Electronics and Communications from Bhopal, there was no looking back. Before appearing for UPSC, Surabhi worked as a nuclear scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.  She also cracked exams of GATE, ISRO, SAIL, MPPSC PCS, SSC CGL, Delhi Police and FCI. The other feather in her cap was securing first rank in the Indian Engineering Services Exam, held in 2013. 

Love for Science

Surabhi recalls her days in BARC as one of the most useful experience of her life, where she could apply engineering in many fields around her. But doesn’t she feel that science and administration are poles apart?  She replied, “I don’t see them as a different field. A man of science can see the administration becoming logical and smooth. Also, it is not about streams but the inclination. I loved science but I wanted a career in civil services. I am lucky to have done both. Any day is good if I read some Physics or do some maths. Also, everything in administration has got a tech turn. So, it gives me an edge.” 

Sketch of Mahatama Gandhi by Surabhi

The Journey in Administration

In a career of more than three years which also included training, Surabhi served as an assistant collector in Vadodara and is now posted in Viramgam. She has also played a key role during the corona crisis. Most of her time was occupied in strategizing the steps to send back the migrant laborers to their homes and controlling the spread of virus. Of late, , she has started working on revenue record classification. She says that the management of records is a big task in a government office. With land being the core subject of administration, it needs more attention. Along with this, she is also trying to refurbish a school that is 100 years old, and in a dilapidated condition. The repair work has already started and she hopes to complete it during her tenure in the district. 

Sketch of late actor Irfan by Surabhi. Courtesy: Twitter

The Artist in Surabhi

Surabhi’s journey is truly inspirational. She turned every obstacle into opportunity. With her huge success, she has opened doors for many girls and boys who might be in a similar situation like her. Apart from being a committed officer, Surabhi is also a frequent blogger, motivational speaker and does sketching in her free time. Referring to love she has for art she said, “I started watercolor painting during 2018, and I like doing it whenever I get time. It acts as a stress buster for me. The more exhausted and tired I am, the more I paint or sketch.” 

And Surabhi Gautam, who has just embarked on her journey, has miles to go.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
India Wins ISSA Award
India Wins ISSA Award 2025 for Expanding Social Security Coverage to Over 940 Million Citizens
President Murmu Receives Diplomatic Credentials
President Droupadi Murmu Receives Credentials from Envoys of Canada, Mauritania, Luxembourg, and Slovenia
Ministry of Defence
Defence Ministry Awards ₹46.19 Crore Contract for Anti-Drone Systems, Delivery Expected by March 2026
air marshal AP Singh
India Destroys 10 Pak Fighter Jets, 2 Runways, Multiple Radars in Operation Sindoor; Precision Strikes Brought Pakistan to Its Knees, Says IAF Chief
MRPL_Mahatma_Award_
MRPL Honoured with Mahatma Award 2025 for HR Innovation and Social Responsibility
Modi Independent Day Speech
PM Modi to Launch Youth-Centric Skilling and Education Initiatives Worth ₹62,000 Crore on October 4
"My UPSC Interview: From Dream to Reality" Portal
What Is 'My UPSC Interview' Portal? All About UPSC’s Centenary Year Initiative to Share Real Officer Stories
Yogesh Gupta IPS
Who Is IPS Yogesh Gupta? The Officer Who Won Legal Battle as CAT Orders Kerala Govt to Forward Vigilance Report to Centre
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr G K Goswami IPS
Everything you ever wanted to know about e-murder, e-dacoity and data safety
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Ravikant Meena on IFS Preparation, Optionals, and Life in Forest Service
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
How Siddhartha Saxena Cracked UPSC CAPF AIR 326 Against All Odds
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Live Interaction
From Cut-off Dates to Coaching & Reforms: UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar Assures Aspirants of Fairness, Transparency & a Future-Ready UPSC | UPSC@100
A Century of Service: The UPSC’s Landmark Year Begins. Chairman Ajay Kumar on UPSC’s Centennial: “Merit,...
Giriraj Parihar MPPSC 2024
From Constable to Deputy Collector: Giriraj Parihar’s 9-Year MPPSC Journey | Farmer’s Son, Brother to Five Sisters
From a jail guard to MPPSC 2024 Rank 8, Giriraj Parihar’s nine-year journey of self-study, hard work,...
Ankit MPPSC 2024 Rank 3
From Village Dreams to Deputy Collector’s Chair: Meet Ankit, MPPSC Rank 3 Hindi Medium Topper
Ankit, a Hindi-medium aspirant from Balaghat, secured Rank 3 in MPPSC 2024 and became Deputy Collector...
Social Media
World Rhino Day India
On World Rhino Day, IFS Officer Parveen Kaswan Shares Rare Insights - India Now Hosts 80% of the World’s One-Horned Rhinos
September 22 Marks Global Call for Rhino Conservation; India Holds 80% of World’s Greater One-Horned...
Parag Madhukar Dhakate
Relentless Rains Wreak Havoc in Dehradun: IFS officer PM Dhakate Warns Citizens Amid Flash Floods
Cloudbursts in Dehradun triggered flash floods. IFS officer Dr. PM Dhakate warned citizens to stay indoors...
Forest Guard Tiger Encounter
Tigers Clash in the Wild as Forest Guards Capture Rare Footage , Retired IFS Mohan Pargaien Posts Viral Video
Retired IFS officer Mohan Pargaien shares viral video of three tigers brawling in Ramnagar, as forest...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
lg-add-e1685729851149
Dr. Pawan Kotwal: How Ladakh’s First Chief Secretary is Shaping Governance and Development
WhatsApp Image 2025-10-01 at 16.00
Dr. Pawan Kotwal: How Ladakh’s First Chief Secretary is Shaping Governance and Development
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr G K Goswami IPS
IFS Ravikant Meena UPSC IFS
Siddhartha Saxena UPSC CAPF
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT