Govind Jaiswal and his father who fought for their dreams against all the odds

Govind Jaiswal, now an IAS officer who was once an ordinary man and just the son of rickshaw puller. His and his father’s hard work proved the saying of Shane Hudson that stated, “Success is not about money, money is just a bonus of success.”

Govind cracked the competitive examination of India’s civil services in his first attempt. He applied for an exam in 2006 which is considered as one of the toughest and acquired 48th position among 474 participants. It was not a huge investment that helped Govind to become an IAS officer, but it was something else done by his father.

Let’s know, what was it.

A limelight to Govind’s early life:

Govind was not born with a silver spoon, but to the father who was a rickshaw puller and mother who was a housewife. The job of Narayan Jaiswal, Govind’s father clearly reflects that they were not having any huge savings that has helped his kids to provide a golden future. Govind was the youngest among his three sisters.

Although, his family was living in a 12×8 ft rented room located at a place where there was a routine power-cut of 12 – 14 hours, but his father never stepped back and withdrew his kids’ education. His father used to spend half of his monthly wages for making his kids’ study at the government school.

Akin to other privileged kids, he didn’t got admission in a prestigious school and college, but to a government school.

Just like his sisters, Govind also got admitted to to a government school located in Usmanpura and following it, he completed graduation in maths from the Government degree college.

What ignited Govind’s will to become an IAS?

It was a 11 year old small kid, Govind, who went to play with his rich and respected friend. He went to his house where a minutes later, he was thrown out insulted and disgraced.

An educated man in his friend’s house shouted at him, “How dare you come here and mix with my son; don’t you know who you are and where you belong?” This was not the only thing that gave a spark to his and his father’s dreams of making him as an IAS. Instead there were many more incidents that pushed him to become an IAS.

Comments and taunts like ‘Your father’s one rickshaw can become two or three tomorrow with your initiation’, ‘However much you study, you will still be a rickshaw-puller’, ‘What is your worth? You can only take your father’s business a bit further’ and many more became very usual for him, which he ignored and sticked to the aim of becoming an IAS.

Once Govind received a comment, ‘Either you request your father to change his profession or you become big’ that touched him. He was very much sure that nothing could change his father’s profession, so he chose to become ’big’.

Govind worked so hard that he not only cleared the exam at first attempt, but he also denied the fact that getting a remarkable success needs a privileged background or a metro city’s schooling.

Govind’s father: His partner in success

• Early Life:

Govind’s father worked on a ration shop for several years. He made a saving out of his earning made by weighing the goods of the purchasers. Unfortunately, one day the shop shut down and he lost the job. With his precious savings, he purchased a rickshaw and rented it.

Following it, he purchased another three and rented them to get a few earnings for his family. Eventually and fortunately, he owned 36 rickshaws and gave all of them for rent.

Narayan’s wife and Govind’s mother passed away when he was a small school going kid. Being a father, it became difficult for him to balance his personal and professional life. Taking care of four children was not easy for his father, thus even struggling hard for 10 years he started loosing number of rickshaws he had rented out.

Overcoming all the difficulties, he managed to feed his kids and worked hard to make them educated. Govind also didn’t lost any hope, but he too worked hard admiring his father’s.

Jaiswal family lived at a place where hardly there was a continuous power supply. This was not the only issue, but there was also a huge noise of generators and printing machines right below his window and poor neighborhood.

Avoiding all these disturbances, Govind used cotton for his ears to avoid all such noise disturbances. He put all his efforts in order to keep respect of his father’s dream and hard work .

Also, Govind never spent a huge amount to collect study materials and other stuffs, instead he managed to study with the books of his school library.

• After Govind’s schooling:

Govind’s father was not one of them who helped him with strong financial support, but he contributed a lot to him in various ways.

Like other parents, his father also dreamt of a bright future for his son. But usually people with such background fails to fulfill their and children’s dreams. Fortunately, Narayan Jaiswal was an exception who struggled hard and made his son an IAS for which he had dreamt.

When Govind completed his graduation, his father didn’t expected him to help with his on-going business of pulling rickshaws. Govind also decided to live with one of his friends in Banaras Hindu University’s hostel, so that he could study. But this idea also didn’t helped. His father also helped him to arrange mathematics tuitions, so that he could earn for his IAS preparation.

Nothing helped Govind to get a huge amount, so Narayan Jaiswal as a father helped his beloved son. Since, he owned three pieces of land out of which he sold two for marrying his daughters. All he has left with was just a one piece of land which he sold for Govind’s higher studies without worrying of anything. He sold his land to give him Rs. 40, 000 and sent him to Delhi for better studies and other resources.

• While Govind’s IAS preparation:

Govind realized the fact that he was not having any money backup nor any source for getting a job. He also knew that he is not made for private job too. So, all what he could do was a ‘hard work’ to acquire his goal of becoming an IAS.

“Anyone who can understand my hardships and circumstances will realize that I had no other option. Neither I could go for a lower government jobs as they are mostly fixed nor I could start a business as I had no money for it. I went for the option I was left with: worked hard on studies”. – Govind Jaiswal

Govind kept on receiving Rs. 2500 or Rs. 3000 from his father, so that he can live in Delhi and prepare for his exams without any hassles. Since, this amount was not sufficient for a living in a metro city like Delhi, so Govind started giving mathematics tuitions and earned a small amount. Still, he was not getting enough to spend good days. Resulting of this, he sometimes used to skip his food and studied hard.

“My father had hardest time sending me money; he was exhausted and could not go beyond this year. It was becoming tough pulling rickshaw with his wounded legs. Govind was also earning Rs. 1,500 from tuitions, which is still less for living in a city like Delhi.”, says Govind’s sister.

Govind knew the efforts made by his father and he didn’t wanted them to go in vain. So, he studied hard for 18 hours a day. He also wanted his family badly to get out of the room in which they were living since last 35 years.

Similarly, Narayan was so dedicated and desperate of seeing his son as an IAS such that he did all the things that were possible. Resulting of this, policemen who used to harass him, now calls him ‘Sir’ with respect.

Phases of Jaiswal’s lives:

Govind Jaiswal is now an IAS officer who is working as an assistant commissioner in Nagaland. He mentioned in his interview that he won’t forget his grounds and work for the nation with a dedication and honesty. There were many phases of his life that taught him many things.

Let’s have a glance over them.

• Govind committed that it was a very tough time, when he came to Delhi.

“The pressure was so much, forget eating, I even forgot to have water in the days leading to the interview, so much so that I developed an extreme anxiety condition which took two years of medication to heal.”  – Govind Jaiswal

• His father, Narayan Jaiswal used to park his rickshaw outside a narrow lane, opposite to Varanasi City Railway Station. Most of the hours his father used to spend waking hours and walking barefooted with a bandage with one end hanging loose and scraping the dirty road.

• When Govind gave his attempt to the IAS examination, not only him, but his entire family was hoping for the best. His father didn’t slept a wink also for 10 days, when his result were to be announced. After all, it was not just a result for them, but a great opportunity that could change all of their lives.

• Narayan got the septic in his wound such that he is living with it till now. Due to his illness, he was sometimes unable to send the money.

When Govind is an IAS:

When Govind successfully cracked the IAS examination in the first attempt, he got the offer to join as a trainee. So, when he joined the offered designation and started getting Rs. 8000 during training period of two years in Mussoorie.

He decided to spend his first salary to give the best medication facility to cure his father’s wound with which he is suffering till now.

Since, he have spend his entire life in the holy city on the banks of Ganga, Varanasi, thus, he preferred to get posting in Uttar Pradesh. Also, his father likes working and spending rest of his life in Kashi. However, Govind also gave a thought to join in some other city in India, if he doesn’t got his desired one.

Govind gave a statement in an interview, “Varanasi needs a tight administration. As for me, I want to be a good officer. We are the agents of change and I as an administrator would like to inform common people about their right to know, their right to information. The benefit should finally go to the people.”

There was a time when he saved money by skipping his meals and now, he is getting numerous of marriage proposals. He even got a marriage proposal from renowned businessman who is offering Rs. 4 crore to him as a gift.

Until now, when he was living with his family in Varanasi, it was difficult for a courier boy to find his house for making the delivery. But now, even a fruit seller and other people know, where the ‘IAS’ house is.

Lessons from Jaiswal’s family:

With commendable efforts, Govind never stopped and with his immense hard-work and zeal of getting success, he is now holding the position of Executive Director of sports in Goa.

“Today I am thankful to my circumstances and hardships through which I have evolved and curved progress. Now that I am an officer my character has been be put to the test and that is a proof for me to see what a real man I am.”, says Govind.

Former president APJ Abdul Kalam is his inspiration and he has followed his writings including Wings on Fire. Thus, he desire to develop and make an India free from social crimes.

He commented, “After Gandhiji, President Kalam has given us a dream and the power to dream. His dream is of a developed India and he is a symbol of many common people’s dreams.”  

Apart from his above stated saying, there are many more things that we have listed below. These can inspire any of us, who is not living with a treasure or luxury, but an aim.

• Never breaking down:

Neither Govind nor his father broke down, even after they faced so many challenges. Govind suffered getting strange comments from people, while his father spent sleepless days and nights with a wounded foot which has infected severely. They both kept on proceeding targeting their goal and finally achieved it

• Keeping a strong will power:

The depth of having desire to achieve a success is more important. Jaiswal family faced so many difficult times, but every time they managed to tackle with it and successfully overcame it. They never give the thought and said ‘NO’ to their aims.

• Never hidden behind excuses:

Many times, Govind suffered tough situations could have given him the fate, but he never underwent failure. The only reason behind his victory over such situations was that he never gave lame excuses.

• Realized the value of time:

Govind got hit by various taunts and comments of people which could have demotivated him. Somehow, he managed to ignore those and didn’t lost his cool. Despite of wasting his energy and time on those stupid comments, he used his precious time for studies.

What you have learned?

The bottom line is, all of us are born intelligent and have the power of turning the world upside down. Among us, there could be many Warren Buffet, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs. All that is required is, a hard work, will power and parent’s mental support.

“You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water”. Well said by Rabindranath Tagore. Govind Jaiswal and his father sets the best example for all the parents and kids who see their dreams smaller than their odds and hard times.

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