My mother, despite studying only till fourth grade, pushed me to aim higher: Chhattisgarh Minister OP Choudhary on his journey from IAS to politics

In an interview with ANI, Choudhary reflected on his journey from a village school to the corridors of power. He shared how, after losing his father at the age of eight, it was his mother who encouraged him to dream beyond a compensatory government job and instead pursue a life of purpose and ambition.

"My life has been quite different since childhood. I lost my father when I was eight. My mother, though educated only up to the fourth grade, played the most important role in my life. I studied in village schools up to Class 12. Since my father held a government job, I was eligible for a compensatory appointment. But my mother, despite her limited education, told me not to settle for that small government job and to aim for something bigger and better in life," Choudhary said.

He also spoke about a moment in Class 11, when a visit to a collector's office inspired him to become an IAS officer.

"My mother supported me wholeheartedly, and today I feel that the decision I made in 2018--to step onto an uncertain path (of joining politics) instead of continuing the IAS--was a big move. But an even bigger step was when I chose to leave that secure government job opportunity right after Class 12 and move to Delhi to prepare for the IAS exam," he said.

"In today's Rising India, if you have talent, there are hundreds of opportunities to succeed--not just professionally but financially as well," the Minister emphasized.

Choudhary took oath as a minister in Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai's Cabinet on December 22, 2023, after the BJP won 54 out of 90 assembly seats in Chhattisgarh.