Be it doctors or engineers, everyone wants to crack the prestigious UPSC Civil Services Exam and become an IAS officer. IAS Saloni Sidana, a doctor turned IAS officer, currently serving as the District Collector of Mandla, Madhya Pradesh was no different.
She worked as a doctor after graduating with MBBS from Delhi’s Lady Hardinge Medical College in 2012. She had the opportunity to travel abroad for her further education. However, she decided to stay in India and started her preparation for the Civil Services Exam.
The secret to her preparation was consistency. Without fail, she made sure to study and revise for six to eight hours every day. She never took a day off. As per DNA India, she would often isolate herself for hours together and study in a library.
Her grit, determination and consistency finally paid off. Saloni cracked UPSC in her very first attempt and secured an impressive All India Rank (AIR)-74. Saloni’s pursuit for knowledge enabled her to pass the UPSC exam.
“I still value the occupation of a doctor. Working with people is a shared responsibility between civil servants and doctors. Being a doctor let me interact directly with people, which is something you can continue to do when you join the public service, unlike a lot of other occupations where you work at a desk,” she was quoted as saying by DNA India.
On the personal front, Saloni is married to IAS Ashish Vashishta. The couple had a court marriage with a court fee of Rs 500. Interestingly, Saloni reported to work just two days after her marriage. Her love to serve the nation is beyond inspiring and praiseworthy.