He herded buffalo after school; cab driver’s daughter cracked UPSC to become an IAS officer
Vanmathi’s Success Story: For many girls growing up in rural India, finishing school is often followed by a familiar question from family members: “When are you getting married?” Higher education and ambitious careers can seem like distant dreams, especially when families are struggling financially.Vanmathi, who grew up in Sathyamangalam in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district, also heard these expectations. His father drove a taxi, money was always tight, and he spent his nights tending the family buffalo and helping with household chores. But instead of accepting the life others had planned for her, she chose education. Today she is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and currently serves as the District Collector of Wardha in Maharashtra.
From herding buffalo to dreaming of becoming a collector
Vanmathi’s childhood was shaped by hard work.Before and after school, he helped his family in every way possible. She took the buffalo out to graze, completed household chores, and even took on odd jobs to supplement the family’s income. Studying was only part of his day.When he finished school, many family members thought it was time for his parents to fix their marriage. Vanmathi, however, had a different dream. He wanted to continue his education and his parents stood by his decision despite their financial difficulties.He pursued a postgraduate degree in Computer Applications, proving that determination could overcome circumstances.The turning point came when he saw a woman district collector visiting his town. Seeing how a woman led the district administration made her believe that she too could one day carry the same responsibility.
Four attempts, countless setbacks and a dream that never changed
Like thousands of UPSC aspirants, Vanmathi’s journey was not easy.To support herself, she worked while preparing for the civil services exam and later joined the Indian Overseas Bank as an assistant manager after clearing a bank recruitment exam. The job provided financial stability, but he never allowed it to supersede his larger ambition.The UPSC exam tested her repeatedly.In his first attempt, he made it to the interview stage, but missed the final selection. In subsequent attempts, she fell short at various stages of the exam. Each setback meant starting the preparation process all over again.Instead of giving up, he continued.His persistence finally paid off in 2015 when he secured rank 152 in the Indian Civil Services Examination and joined the Indian Administrative Service in the Maharashtra cadre.
An IAS officer shaping lives beyond the exam hall
Over the past decade, Vanmathi has held various administrative posts in Maharashtra, including Nandurbar, Dhule, Mumbai and now Wardha.As an administrator, she has worked in tribal welfare, rural development, education, health, water conservation and governance reforms. During his tenure at Nandurbar, he introduced measures to improve nutrition in ashram schools and strengthened transparency by implementing direct benefit transfers for students.As the Chief Executive Officer of Dhule Zilla Parishad, she played an important role in implementing health and rural development programmes, including coordinating administrative efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.Now as Collector of Wardha, he has focused on water conservation, digital governance and employment generation through initiatives that support micro, small and medium enterprises. Its digital project tracking system, designed to improve transparency and avoid duplication of development work, was later appreciated by the Maharashtra government.Vanmathi’s journey is much more than clearing UPSC. It is the story of a young woman whose parents opted for education before early marriage, who refused to let repeated failures decide her future, and who turned a childhood dream into a career dedicated to public service.For students preparing for competitive exams, especially those from small towns and rural settings, her life offers a simple reminder: Your circumstances can determine where you start, but they don’t have to decide where you end up.
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