UPSC 2021: It’s girls all the way making Indore proud with their achievements

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Anjali Shrotriya from Indore, who has earned 44 All-India Rank (AIR), is, perhaps, the state topper, as well. The second topper from the city is Shraddha Gome, who has earned AIR 60 in the country and third topper, also a female, Ananya Awasthi, has earned 135 AIR.

These girls have made the city proud with their achievements. Talking to Free Press, the girls shared their journey and joys of achieving their dream.

Anjali Shrotiya – AIR 44

Mock interview went viral

Anjali Shrotriya, a proud Indori, went viral on social media with her mock interview. Her simplicity and confidence were relatable to many other UPSC aspirants of the city

‘I proudly quote I come from the cleanest city of India – Indore in Madhya Pradesh,’ Shrotriya says. Her introduction was a good opening statement, which became the talk of the town. ‘The one challenge geographically faced by Indore is shortage of water, which is a natural consequence of black soil as it cannot retain water,’ Shrotriya says. She talked about the Gond tribe here and their importance

About Anjali: A computer science engineer, Anjali has made her mark in the nation by earning the rank. Her proud parents, Vijaya and Anil Shortriya, are in a celebratory mood. She had missed the first attempt in the interview by 8 marks. She made the second attempt in 3 weeks

Shraddha Gome – AIR 60

Won 18 golds in university

Clearing the UPSC on her first attempt with a firm belief, 26-year-old Shraddha Gome, from school right through to university, has always been a topper. ‘I was actually nervous when, after clearing CLAT as a topper, I went to study at the National Law School of India in Bengaluru, fearing competition,’ Gome says. However, her will and courage won out as she passed out of university with 18 gold medals. ‘I worked for a firm travelling between Mumbai and London, but my aim was clear—to become an IAS officer and serve my country,’ Gome said. ‘I didn’t want to give myself a second chance, an option to fail, and it worked for me,’ Gome said

About Shraddha: Shraddha is a lawyer, who has always worked hard for her dreams. She studied for 9 to 10 hours starting in January 2020, when she quit her job and returned to India. Her father, Ramesh Kumar Gome, is a retired SBI officer; mother Vandana is a housewife and her inspiration; and younger brother, Rohit Gome, a law student who might follow her example

Ananya Awasthi – AIR 135

Commitment is key for her

Commitment is the key for Ananya Awasthi. ‘My father (Ashutosh Awasthi) is a retired IPS officer and I wanted to follow suit and become like him,’ Awasthi says. It was her dream and she has, finally, realised it with support from her mother, Kiran, and brother, Aniket

About Ananya: Ananya cleared the UPSC on her fourth attempt and scored AIR 135. She is currently serving as a probationary officer in the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC)