From sweeping streets as a municipal worker to becoming a Rajasthan government official, Asha Kandara, 40, has shown what true grit can achieve.

A single mother of two, Kandara cleared the Rajasthan Administrative Service (RAS) examination, 2018, the results of which got delayed and were finally declared on July 13, 2021.

“I had to go through a lot from a broken marriage, caste discrimination to gender bias. But I never let myself drown in sorrow and instead decided to fight back,” she said.

A few years after separating from her husband, Kandara decided to pursue her education. She completed her graduation in 2016.

Living with her father, who also worked at the Jodhpur Municipal Corporation, she always dreamed of becoming financially independent and bringing up her children on her own.

“… I appeared for the exam for sweeper for Jodhpur Municipal Corporation in 2018 and passed it,” she said.

Kandara began preparing for the RAS exam along with performing her duty as a sweeper.

She cleared the preliminary exams in August 2018 and it encouraged her to prepare for the final exams.

When she finally made it, felicitations poured in from all corners. She was honoured by mayors and senior officers of the same corporation where she worked as a sweeper.

Kandara felt proud when she sat with senior officials like an equal, during her felicitation event.

“This is what I struggled for,” she said, giving credit for her success to her parents and her determination to succeed.

“I want to work for bringing justice to the society as an administrative officer. My endeavour is not just for my community, but for every victim of injustice,” she asserted.