Despite the constraints of her circumstances, 2016 batch IPS officer Richa Tomar’s ambition knew no bounds. Balancing the responsibilities of motherhood to a two-and-a-half-year-old child, she embarked on a journey to pursue her dreams in the realm of law enforcement.
Her path was not without obstacles, yet with each hurdle, she exhibited remarkable fortitude and determination.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Ms. Tomar, who is currently posted as SP Jhalawar in Rajasthan, shared details about her UPSC journey that coincided with motherhood, and life in the IPS.
EARLY LIFE
Hailing from the Baghpat district of UP, Ms. Tomar is the fourth among six siblings, with five sisters and one brother. Her father was a farmer who toiled hard in the field to provide the best education to all his children, which resulted in all the siblings being highly educated today and working in respectable cushy jobs in the country.
Born in a patriarchal society, her parents were still very supportive of any decision that their daughters took, especially when it came to studies and career, and never stopped them from reaching their goals.
An academically brilliant student from the beginning, Ms. Tomar completed her education from a government school in the district and then completed her MSc in microbiology from Meerut where she topped her batch. She did not just stop at that, but also cracked NET and JRF and became a scholar after completing her PHD!
INSPIRATION FOR UPSC
Ms. Tomar had a clear goal in mind from her high school days. She knew she wanted to become a civil servant and serve her country. Growing up, she saw a lot of discrimination that girls of her age faced in her village, where they were stopped from pursuing further education and were married off early. She wanted to bring about a change in the patriarchal mindset of the society.
“During that time, we also had a woman collector in our district. She did something incredible by changing the way people thought, especially about men being in charge. While some men were telling women to cover their faces, this leader was earning respect from those same men,” Ms. Tomar told Indian Masterminds.
She realized that the presence of a female officer could bring about so many changes in the daily routine of people, especially girls who were traveling alone on public transport to get an education or go to their workspaces. “I knew I wanted to be the one to bring about those changes and, thus, got inclined towards civil services,” Ms. Tomar added.
PREPARING WITH A BABY
By the time, she began her UPSC preparation, she was already married and had an infant to take care of. But she had her goals set in her mind. Her husband, who is an IPS officer himself and is posted in Delhi, supported her throughout her journey. Her family and in-laws also supported her in her decision and took care of the family chores and her baby when she sat down to study.
“They say it takes a village to raise a baby. My baby was also raised similarly. Every single person in my family encouraged me to prepare for the examination to my best capability without worrying about the home or my baby. They were always there by my side to help me with raising my kid. I think that kind of support system is also necessary for one to achieve their goals,” she shared.
IPS IN 2016
Ms. Tomar cracked the UPSC CS Examination in 2016 and received Rajasthan cadre. She secured AIR-153 and became an Indian Police Service officer.
On August 24, 2019, she passed out from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy. On the day of the passing out parade, Ms. Tomar was awarded a trophy (constituted by the 1973 IPS batch) for being the best all-round female probationer by Home Minister Amit Shah. This trophy is given to the probationer who has performed the best during the training.
Ms. Tomar’s journey from a small-town girl to a 2016-batch IPS officer exemplifies perseverance and determination. Balancing motherhood and her career, she soared, earning accolades for her excellence and making impactful strides in law enforcement.
