Milkman’s daughter set to become judge with her hardwork. This is a remarkable story of grit and determination of a girl who studied under a cowshed all her life and recently cracked the Rajasthan Judicial Service Examination to become the first-class magistrate in a Sessions court in Rajasthan.
This girl is Sonal Sharma (26), who is daughter of a milkman based in Udaipur, who studied on a study table made of empty oil cans in cow shed through out her life.
She has been a topper all through her life and has stood first in BA, LLB and LLM.
Since 10 years of age, she followed the same routine—waking up at 4 am, helping her father in milking cows, cleaning cowsheds, collecting dung and distributing milk in neighbourhood in Udaipur.
As and when she got time, she cycled to her school and then to college from where she visited the library and made comprehensive notes for affording any renowned coaching for judicial exams was a distant dream for her.
Even at a time for preparing for her judiciary exams, she continued helping her father in his dairy located in Pratap Nagar area of Udaipur.
However, on December 23, Sonal received the best gift of her life as she received a notification regarding her selection in the Rajasthan Judicial Services.
Sonal shall now be posted as a first-class magistrate in sessions court after a year’s training at the judicial academy in Jodhpur.
The girl with grit and determination used to attend her classes in schools and colleges in footwear smeared with cow dung. “
Initially, it felt embarrassing to share the profession of my father which was of being a milkman. However, today, I am proud of him as well as my family background, says Sonal.
Sonal faced many financial challenges and hence could not join any coaching centre. However, she prepared for the exam on her own and studied for 10-12 hours daily.
Sonal says, she never had any distractions. “I have never logged on to any social media as I was focussed to attain my goal,” she said.
Sonal, in class 12 CBSE exam, had topped the state in Economics and was the all-India topper in Hindi.
Pursuing her post graduation from Mohan Lal Sukhadia University, she topped her BA.LL.B and LL.M exams and received two gold medals and the Chancellor’s medal at the convocation held on December 22.
Now, Sonal aims at providing a comfortable life to her parents.
“My father has worked hard since years to give us good life and education and has even taken loans for our education. We have seen him waking up at 4 am and sleeping around midnight as he has been engaged in milking cows and selling milk. So now it comes my turn to take care of my parents,” she says.