Thane: A daughter of a garage mechanic from Thane has demonstrated that unwavering hard work can help one overcome any obstacle in achieving goals.
Meet 22-year-old Sejal Yadav from Thane, who overcame financial limitations and societal pressures to pursue her aspiration of joining the Indian Air Force (IAF). Sejal, who secured an all-India rank of 46 in the IAF entry-level examinations recently, has earned a slot in the aeronautical engineering department of the prestigious force.
The journey to success for Sejal was arduous. Residing in a modest dwelling in the old city area with her family, including father Sugriv, a garage mechanic, mother Geeta, who is a homemaker, and a younger sister, she had to face monetary challenges.
The IAF, in fact, wasn’t Sejal’s first choice. She had aspired to become a doctor. “Despite achieving excellent marks, I couldn’t pursue it knowing that my father might struggle to finance my education. I chose engineering instead, uncertain about continuing. Fortuitously, I discovered opportunities in the armed forces to serve the nation and joined the NCC and ultimately found my calling in the IAF,” she said.
Nevertheless, the path to achievement was demanding and Sejal juggled engineering studies and preparations for the Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT). “She devoted daytime to engineering studies and nights to AFCAT preparation, sleeping merely two hours before heading to college. She pursued her education through scholarships to avoid financial burden,” recounted her proud father Sugriv.
The now confident youngster recounted how cynics urged her to abandon education and accept conventional employment to support her father, but she remained steadfast about her ambition. “I will undergo year-long training before being inducted as a flying officer in the IAF. I may select my specialisation during training,” she said.