Life stories of people who never give up despite setbacks on the way to their goals are compelling and very inspiring. Their unshakable perseverance and most importantly dedication are what make them different from normal people.
One such example of tenacity and great dedication is the incredible journey of Anukriti Sharma, who gave up her lucrative job at NASA to fulfill her lifelong IPS dream.
Hailing from the bustling Rajasthani city of Jaipur, Anukriti attended the Indo-Bharat International School. After her intermediate, she went on to pursue a BSMS degree from Kolkata’s Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, reports DNA India.
Life took an unexpected turn when she received an admission offer to Rice University’s Ph.D. programme in volcano research in Houston, Texas. To top that, she was also offered an alluring position at NASA Institute while she was studying for her Ph.D.
However, Anukriti decided to return to India after her Ph.D, realizing that her true calling was to serve her own country through the IPS. Thus, she began her UPSC preparation journey in 2014. However, it wasn’t an easy journey for her as it took her five attempts to finally fulfill her dream.
According to DNA India, she performed well in the Prelims on her first attempt in 2015 but failed in the Mains. She once again failed in her second attempt. Sadly, she made it to the interview round on her third attempt but was not chosen.
However, Anukriti didn't give up. She earned a spot in the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) in her fourth attempt, but it was her dream to wear the IPS uniform. Her lifelong wait to become an IPS came to an end, after all her hard work paid off in her fifth attempt.
Today, she is counted as one of the best IPS officers, the country has ever produced.