Sign in

UPSC dream comes true for man whose father sold house to fund coaching fees

Pradeep Singh’s father sold his house two years ago and started living in rented accommodation so that he could send him money for his classes in Delhi.

Published on: Apr 6, 2019, 23:29:18 IST
Hindustan Times, Bhopal | By
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

For 22-year-old Pradeep Singh, son of a petrol pump attendant in Indore, it was dream come true when he secured the 93rd rank in the Union Public Service Commission final examination 2018, the results of which were declared on Friday.

Pradeep Singh, the son of a petrol pump attendant from Indore who finished 93rd in the 2018 UPSC examinations. (HT PHOTO)
Pradeep Singh, the son of a petrol pump attendant from Indore who finished 93rd in the 2018 UPSC examinations. (HT PHOTO)

What made that feat special was the fact that his father, Manoj Singh who migrated from Bihar to Indore two decades ago, had sold his small house to fund Pradeep’s coaching fees in Delhi.

Much was riding on his success and Pradeep now feels all the hardships that the family faced are over. He came back from Delhi to Indore on Saturday to share the joy of his success.

“I wanted to get a private job like my elder brother after I completed my graduation in Commerce, but my father and elder brother asked me to concentrate only on my studies. They sent me to Delhi for the preparation of UPSC,” Pradeep said.

“My father sold his house two years ago and started living in rented accommodation so that he could send me money for my classes in Delhi. The past two years were very tough for us but I am happy that I made my family proud,” he added.

Pradeep’s father Manoj Singh is thrilled with his son’s achievement. “I had shifted to Indore from Bihar in a hope to give a new life to my family. We struggled a lot and I am happy that my son has got selected,” he said.

Pradeep’s brother Sandeep Singh said, “He was a very intelligent student. He won many debates, extempore and quiz competitions. He was also active in student politics but his social life never distracted him from his aim. We were very sure of his success and we are happy that he achieved it so soon.”

  • Shruti Tomar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shruti Tomar

    I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More