Meet woman, who battled rare bone disorder, faced 16 fractures, 8 surgeries, lived in slum, but cracked UPSC exam, became IAS officer in 1st attempt with AIR…
Ummul Kher’s life is not just a tale of struggle — it’s a story of unmatched courage and determination. A native of Rajasthan and raised in a slum in Delhi’s Trilokpuri area, Ummul was no stranger to hardship. Her family, originally from Rajasthan, lived in deep poverty, and to make things worse, Ummul was born with a rare bone disorder that made her bones extremely fragile.
By the time she was a teenager, Ummul had already suffered 16 fractures and undergone 8 surgeries. Her childhood was filled with pain, but never once did she let that define her dreams.
Her father used to sell clothes on the street to feed the family, but there was barely enough to survive. Still, Ummul held on to her one big dream — to become a civil servant. Despite the physical pain and emotional burden, she never let go of that goal.
When her family discouraged her from studying beyond 10th grade, she made a heartbreaking yet bold decision, she left home and began living alone in the same slum. Determined to stand on her own feet, she started giving tuition classes to fund her education. An NGO supported her school education till class 10.
Against all odds, Ummul scored 91 per cent in her 12th board exams. She went on to earn her undergraduate degree from Gargi College, Delhi University. Her passion for learning didn’t stop there — she joined Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) for a Master’s in International Studies and later enrolled in the MPhil/PhD program.
It was during this time that she also started preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, one of the toughest exams in the country. Her years of hard work finally paid off in 2016, when she cracked the exam in her 1s attempt with All India Rank 420 and achieved her dream of becoming an IAS officer.
Ummul Kher’s journey is a powerful reminder that our circumstances don’t define our future — our will does. She rose from a world of broken bones and broken dreams to build a life of purpose, proving that with resilience, even the darkest paths can lead to the brightest destinations.
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