She is an IAS probationer who arrived in Goa for her training five months ago. “I liked this state, especially the sea. People here are very hospitable,” she quips as the conversation starts. Interrupted by her assistant, she takes a pause to sign some documents. Before signing, she insists on knowing the content on the papers, and the assistant reads it aloud. Holding the pen straight, the soon-to-be-full-fledged collector signs ‘Ayushi’. For those who may wonder why, Ayushi is 100% visually impaired.
With a smile on her face, Ayushi expresses, “I am born blind, but I have no regrets being so. I have been lucky enough to have a very supportive family. It’s because of my family that I could walk that extra mile, which most may not be able to...”
Currently posted as Assistant Collector (trainee) in Goa, she works from the Collectorate building in Panaji. Her field training started in May 2023. She will be handling various responsibilities in different departments to learn the functioning of administration and administrative machinery. Simultaneously, she will be holding some independent charges like Joint Mamlatdar, Block Development Officer (BDO), Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM), etc., to get a better understanding of administration.
Ayushi had the honor of qualifying for the Civil Services exam, securing an impressive all-India rank of 48. This was in August 2021, even before she turned 30. Born on August 27, 1992, Ayushi’s journey in the field of education has been a fulfilling and rewarding one. She has many accomplishments in her career, and her love for history and her country deepened with every new assignment she shouldered.
“It all started after completing my 12th class in 2009 when I decided to pursue an elementary teacher education course at Diet Keshav Puram, which I did. I got my certificate in 2011. Later, I earned my graduation degree at SPM College from Delhi University from 2011-14, securing the first position in all three years,” shares Ayushi, whose pursuit of knowledge didn’t stop here.
This brave-heart continued her academic journey further, enrolling for a Master’s degree at IGNOU, where once again she proved her worth by achieving the first division, despite the challenges. Unstoppable as she is from her childhood, Ayushi earned more qualifications, with a degree of B.Ed from Jamia Milia Islamia University in the next two years, from 2017-19. And while achieving all this academic success, she was already teaching – learning and earning together.
Ayushi had the privilege of serving as a primary teacher in MCD School from 2012 to 2016, and later under the Delhi government from 2016 to 2019. She worked as a lecturer in History from 2019 to August 2022, until she passed the Civil Services exam. As a teacher and lecturer, Ayushi strived to make a significant impact in the field of education in the capital of India, Delhi. Additionally, she attained the first position in the Delhi Lecturer History exam conducted by DSSSB. Married in 2019, her husband Amit currently works in the HR department at Sydney University.
Ayushi’s mother, Asha, who voluntarily retired as a senior nursing officer, has been her guiding force along with her father, Ashok, who works for HIL India Ltd, and her brother Kumud, who is an excise inspector in GST. “My mother took it as a challenge to make me self-dependent in every aspect. She motivated me to climb every step on the ladder of success because of the negative comments of society pointing out my disability. But thanks to my family and friends, my teachers and mentors, I am what I am today,” admits Ayushi, who reads a lot.
Ayushi has mastered the Braille script. She not only writes on the blackboard or paper but also draws and sketches, a skill that most are not equipped with. Technology came as a boon to pave her way. Audiobooks are easily available. She downloads the books and spends time listening to them. The late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam is her favorite author. She also loves exploring a wide range of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, apart from inspirational works by various authors. Music and poetry are her passion. Being a teacher for a decade instilled a lot of confidence in her. She does not hesitate to accept a challenging situation in life, nor is she reluctant to go out of her way to help someone.
Music brings her solace. She loves listening to Lataji’s songs. She also likes to express her creativity through penning poems. An early riser, her mornings begin with physical exercises, breathing techniques, and yoga. Someone who has not seen the world but has a deep urge in her heart to bring a positive change around her, Ayushi is all set to shoulder the responsibility of giving fair justice to her job, to people, and to the nation.
