Nimishi Tripathi grew up seeing her parents sacrificing their comforts to ensure that her studies didn’t get disrupted. Watching her parents struggle to secure her future pained Nimishi, and it was then that she made a promise to herself to achieve something big for them. And she kept the promise! She passed the coveted UPSC exam and is now on her way to become an officer.
In an exclusive interview with Indian Masterminds, Nimishi spoke about the vital role her parents have played in her journey so far.
HER PARENTS, HER INSPIRATION
For Nimishi, her parents are her biggest inspiration. She credits her UPSC success totally to them. “I get my inspiration from them. My father Avdhesh Tripathi is a forest guard and my mother Shaivalini Tripathi is a homemaker. Both of them worked really hard to help me reach where I am today,” an emotional Nimishi said.
She added that her parents always had great faith in her abilities. It was on their insistence that she went ahead with her UPSC plan.
“I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to crack the exam, but their motivation kept me going and played a major role in this success,” said Nimishi.
The seed of the UPSC dream was planted when during a random conversation with her father, she asked him how they could solve the problems of their area. “He explained to me how a collector of a district can bring a positive change in the area. Since then, to crack UPSC and become a collector was my goal,” Nimishi revealed.
HOW SHE PREPARED FOR UPSC
She started preparing for UPSC after graduating in Maths from Indraprastha College, Delhi, in 2017 and, finally, cleared the exam in her second attempt, taking Political Science & International Relations as her optional subject. A subject she finds interesting because of her interest in geopolitics.
Nimishi said of her interview round that “they mostly asked about my background, education, and hobbies.” One panelist also wanted to know from her about the challenges that the tribes in her region were facing with regard to education.
And, no, she didn’t isolate herself completely from social media during her preparation days. “It was my source of relaxation. Whenever I had a hectic day with studies, I scrolled social sites to refresh myself,” she said.
FEET FIRMLY ON THE GROUND
The unassuming girl from a humble family of Sanawad town suddenly finds herself and her family in spotlight. Ever since the results of UPSC 2020 are out, congratulations have been pouring in from relatives and neighbours.
But, amidst all this attention, Nimishi hasn’t forgotten her roots. When people praise her, she is quick to point out to her parents and say: “The credit goes to them.” Like a true devoted daughter, she dedicates her UPSC CS exam success to her parents.
