A journey that began with a humble patwari's job and stretched almost three decades has ended with a promotion to Deputy Collector for Ashutosh Sharma, who was serving as a tehsildar in Balod district. His story of patience, persistence and hard work has become an example that today's youth look up to.
From Shahdol to Pakhanjur
Ashutosh Sharma's ancestral village lies in the Shahdol district of Madhya Pradesh. His father's job took the family to the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, and they eventually settled in Pakhanjur. Ashutosh completed his early schooling in Pakhanjur and Kanker. He was in the middle of his BSc Previous studies when he was selected for the post of patwari.
A Government Job at Just 21
After clearing the selection, Ashutosh left for patwari training without finishing the final year of his BSc. He got the job just five months after completing the training, and later finished his BSc Final privately. Landing a government job at the age of just 21 was a major achievement for him. Many people advised him to quit the job and pursue further studies, but given the unemployment situation at the time, he chose to stick with the job. He served as a patwari from December 1996 to June 2015, with his first posting at Durgukondal sub-tehsil under Bhanupratappur tehsil.
Repeated PSC Failures, Then a Turning Point
Alongside his job, Ashutosh kept preparing for the PSC exam. He appeared for the PSC exam for the first time in 1998. Over the following years, he cleared the preliminary exam multiple times but could not clear the mains. Balancing his job, family and other responsibilities while preparing for the exam was never easy, yet he refused to give up. In 2014, a limited departmental exam conducted by the Revenue Department turned out to be the turning point of his life. This exam was open only to employees who had completed five years of service and held a graduation degree. Ashutosh Sharma cleared this exam and was promoted to Naib Tehsildar. He went on to serve in Makdi, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Keshkal and Balod.
A New Role Awaits in Kabirdham
Ashutosh Sharma has now been promoted to Deputy Collector and will take up his new responsibility in Kabirdham district. His journey from patwari to Deputy Collector spanned nearly 29 years. Sharma has a message for young people: both effort and fate matter in life. He believes one should never stop working hard, because success does eventually arrive, even if it takes time.
