ABINASH SAHU 
Soumya Satavisa, currently designated as Assistant Collector in Dhenkanal was born and brought up in Dhenkanal. Having pursued her MTech in VLSI & Digital Electronics she has two years of research experience in VLSI.
A few days earlier, The Interview Times had some conversation with her while she was in her office, working and reading through pile of documents. The responses of her to the questions of The Interview times are as follows,
Q1- What made up your mind to go for civil service or it was already there in your mind since childhood?
Answer: During 2016, when I was pursuing PhD at IIT Kharagpur I came across a NGO and understood how the ground level administration works. Then I started researching more about it and finally I joined the Odisha Civil Services.
Q2- Would you please like to share any of your good memories from your preparation days?
Answer: When I was in Delhi for my preparations, I usually went for mock interviews which were conducted by high profile panelists who had contributed a lot to the society. That is when I realized that clearing the exam is the first and the most easiest step in this administrative platform. The real challenge lies in delivering services to the common man at a large, to understand their problems and help them is indeed a tough job to perform.
Q3- What piece of advice would you like to share with people who want to become like you?
Answer: The piece of advice that I want to share is aspirants should know “why you want to join civil services.” In the long run the “why” factor will help you to sustain and grow in administration. Single-mindedness devotion and dedication towards civil services, discipline, integrity and consistency will help you achieve greater heights.
Q4- What was your go-to-go preparation strategy for the odisha civil service exam?
Answer: The go-to-go strategies are, limiting your material and sources, addressing the questions holistically, knowing the syllabus well, brainstorming, application of mind, revision, ‘brainchild’ – uniqueness because it becomes your own answers.
Q5- What is your daily work generally comprises of?
Answer: Currently I am posted as Assistant Collector, Public Grievances, Development and Census. Handling a public grievance job is an all whether job, one has to show up every day with equal enthusiasm, the development sector is closely associated with schools, colleges and education matters and Census operations done correctly leads to a better understanding to the social, economic and demographic quotient of the people.
Q6- What do you like to do in leisure time?
Answer: I am an artist, I take interest in canvas, oil, charcoal paintings. I love to do freelance writings and have written columns for idealist, mindsjournal.
Q7- How is your journey so far as a ORS officer?
Answer: Everyday is a new challenge and every challenge is a new is a new opportunity to prove oneself as an administrator. The varying set of problems, events and people makes the journey worth living. One would be shocked to find the number of people being deprived of basic amenities, such hopelessness can only be dealt by an enthusiastic and optimistic attitude in letter and spirit. Ensuring services reach the citizens within time is indeed crucial, eliminating middle man brokers who misguide the citizens in lieu of providing benefits of the Government schemes need to be monitored. Public grievance hearing and redressal is the most challenging yet exciting part of my journey. During my highs and lows, I have followed the Gandhi’s talisman to deal with my professional and personal challenges and commitment.
Image credits : Miss Soumya Satavisa
