More significant and touching than topping the civil services examination this year, what Shubham Kumar did was to fulfil his father’s long standing dream. Sounds strange but it is true as his father, Devanand Singh, who during his student days was a bright scholar was unable to realise his ambition due to financial constraints.

Singh hailing from Bihar’s Katihar region was always an excellent student and his wish was to make it to the Indian Institute of Technology. But the conspiracy of events did not allow it as in 1983 when he wanted to sit for the entrance examination to this prestigious engineering institution, his father, a teacher passed away.

Following this even though Singh had filled the entrance exam form, he was unable to submit it as he did not have Rs.500 required to be paid with the form.

Recalling this poignant event of his life for Hindustan Live, Singh broke down and his eyes flooded with tears. Today he is a manager at the North Bihar Gramin Bank, and indeed proud that his son has made his dream come true by topping the Civil Services.

While narrating the story, Singh also remembered a friend of his who too because of the paucity of funds could not write the IIT entrance exam and that both of them cried all night at their plight.

Kumar, having come out with flying colours, wishes to stay in his State, Bihar and work for development of that region. He desires to work for the underprivileged especially in the rural areas.

Kumar is a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Bombay while his early education was in his village Kumhari after which he studied in Vidya Vihar School at Purnia district’s Parora and later at Bokaro’s Chinmayanand.

Kumar before going for his training in November, will be honoured at the Bihar Legislative Council auditorium.