If you believe in yourself and your dreams then societal standard of perfection like skin colour, height and body type can’t hold you back from writing your own success story. The 2006 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, Aarti Dogra has proved this with her perseverance and ability to reach pinnacle of success. This 3 foot and 2 inch tall women passed India’s most prestigious examination UPSC, despite some apparent odds, and has received praise from the President and Prime Minister for her innovative missions and campaign like ‘Bunko Bikano’.
After successfully serving in several districts of Rajasthan, her native cadre, Ms Dogra is currently a trusted officer of the Chief Minister of the state, serving as a joint secretary to him.
Early Struggles
Ms. Dogra is now known as a very active and diligent officer but this journey was not easy for her. Born in Dehradun, her father Rajendra Dogra is Colonel in the Indian Army and her mother Kumkum is the principal in a school. She is the only child of her parents. Her parents were told by the doctors at the time of her birth that she won’t have normal physical growth, they were told to send her to special schools for differently-abled children. However, her parents ignored the doctors and overlooked the taunt of society. They never think of anything else other than Arti and supported her in every walk of life.
Ms. Dogra’s parents admitted her to the prestigious Welham Girls School in Dehradun. Her parents not only supported her education but also encouraged her in sports & co-curricular activities. After completing her school, Ms. Dogra came to Delhi. She completed her graduation in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College, DU.
She again came back to Uttrakhand for her post graduation and simultaneously she indulged herself in teaching. But, this wasn’t the end for her. She had to achieve bigger goals and make her parents proud.
One day she met Manisha Pawar who then was the collector of Dehradun. This meeting created a great impact on her and she decided to clear the UPSC. Just like her college, the UPSC preparation was also not easy for her. She was mocked for her height and appearance but she didn’t lose hope. She was focused on cracking the exam. Her tenacity and dedication in studies didn’t go in vain and she cleared the UPSC in her very first attempt.
During her administrative period of around 15 years, she has been posted on many top positions including the DC of Ajmer, Bikaner and few other districts as well. Earlier, she has also been assigned the post of Managing Director of Jodhpur Discom. She was the first woman IAS to serve on such an important post. Aarti Dogra has established herself as one of the most competent and efficient IAS officers and proved, all that matters is grit and determination, height is not even in the line of it.
Honoured by President and Praised by Prime Minister Modi
Right from the beginning of the career in administration, Ms. Dogra made headlines, first because of her height and later because of her effective campaigns and performance. As the DC of Bikaner, Aarti launched the ‘Banko Bikano’ Campaign to create open defecation free society. The Swacchhata mission was focused on behavioral and mindset change of people. The campaign was a huge success and because of the efforts by Ms. Dogra and spearheaded by the local community over 200 panchayats, the district has been declared as ODF. Due to her accomplishment, she was not only recognized by the state government but also garnered applaud from Prime Minister Modi. Along with it she also launched other schemes like Mission against Anaemia and ‘Maa’. While she was the DM of Bikaner, she launched the programme, Doctors for Daughters, where she encouraged doctors to adopt orphan, poor, and helpless girl children born in their own hospitals. As a result, 40 doctors took the responsibility of basic education, food, and shelter of 40 girl children, and this trend is still going on strong in the district.
Inspiration for Many
Her role as the election officer in Ajmer also caught eyeballs and she was honoured by the President to create awareness among the differently-abled people for their role in election. It was her day and night efforts that resulted in record breaking voting from the specially-abled citizens. Around 59.88 % differently- abled voters turned out to cast votes at the polling station in the last Rajasthan election. She assigned the Booth Level Officers for providing assistance and motivating the voters at their respective booths. She also arranged “Divyang Raths” in all the assembly constituencies in the district to help them to the polling stations and cast votes. She ensured 874 wheel chairs with at least two in every Gram Panchayat, to ease the struggle of these people during voting process.
Ms Aarti Dogra is an inspiration not for only girls but for every individual who are trying to break the traditional fabric of the society. May her tribe increase in strength.
