Meet man, who once worked as stone breaker, sold tendu leaves, then cracked PSC exam to become...

Santosh Kumar Patel's life story is an inspiring tale of tenacity and fortitude that follows him from the hardships of rural poverty to his current position as sub-divisional officer. Prior to this, he held the position of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in the Gwalior district's Ghatigaon.
 
Santosh was up in a rural Madhya Pradesh where his family experienced severe financial troubles. It was sometimes difficult for his parents, who were labourers in agriculture and masons, to offer their kids the bare requirements.

Santosh and his siblings lived in a small thatched one-room cottage and were exposed to the harsh realities of poverty. Their books were ruined by leaky roofs during the monsoon, but they continued to study at night in the dim light of a kerosene lamp.
 
Living off of government handouts and the little produce from their small plot of land, Santosh remembers clearly the days when their meals were limited to basic essentials like daliya or wheat flatbread they stole from other students.
Santosh persevered with unwavering drive in spite of these obstacles. He was aware of the need of hard labour from an early age and frequently visited building sites to supplement his income.

Santosh was raised with a strong work ethic and a deep appreciation for education. He understood that education was an opportunity to break out from the cycle of poverty and hard labour in the fields.
 
After seeing his father take on hazardous professions to provide for the family, Santosh came to understand the need of having a steady source of income. His determination only became stronger when his own illness caused the family to experience severe financial hardship.
 
Santosh overcame these challenges to achieve academic excellence and become the district topper, which made his family and the village as a whole proud of him.
 
But Santosh's career was briefly detoured by financial limitations, which made him think about other sources of revenue. However, after recognising how important his goals were, he redirected his attention to getting hired by the government.

Santosh prepared himself for the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission test by studying hard on his own. He eventually achieved an amazing rank and realised his ambition of becoming a police officer.
 
Santosh has been committed to helping his community ever since he joined the police force, using his personal experiences to relate to people going through similar struggles. His creative projects, like the Betul alcohol awareness campaign, show his dedication to justice and constructive change.
 
Santosh expresses his desire to keep serving the public and improving the public's perception of law enforcement while reflecting on his path. He is modest yet unwavering in his resolve. Santosh Kumar Patel views his experience as proof of the human spirit's ability to triumph over hardship and tenacity.