AK Goyal Hyderabad-Stories That Keep Me Going” – Motivating stories from your journey

 

There are moments in public service that test your patience, stretch your limits, and leave you exhausted. But then, there are also moments that restore your purpose, fill you with energy, and remind you why you chose this path in the first place. These are the stories that keep me going.

As AK Goel IAS, I’ve had the privilege of serving in diverse roles and regions. And through it all, it is not the accolades or milestones that stay with me — it is the people, their resilience, their transformation, and their faith.

Let me share a few stories that continue to light my path.

A Letter from a Young Girl

During one of my visits to a government school in a remote village of Telangana, while serving as AK Goyal Telangana, a 13-year-old girl handed me a small handwritten letter. She had written in broken Hindi and Telugu that because of the newly constructed toilet block and sanitary pad dispenser, she could now attend school every day.

She ended the letter with, "Sir, main bhi aap jaisa banna chahti hoon."

That one line had more impact on me than any award ever could. It reminded me that real change is deeply personal, and sometimes, a small policy can change someone’s entire path.

The Rickshaw Puller’s Petition

While posted as AK Goel Hyderabad, we ran a city-wide “Jan Sunwai” campaign for fast-tracking local issues. One morning, a rickshaw puller named Kaleem came with a 15-year-old grievance — a small piece of land wrongly marked, preventing his daughter’s admission into a nearby school.

Our team resolved the issue within 10 days. A month later, he returned — not with another complaint, but with a small box of sweets. He simply said, “Aap pe bharosa ho gaya, sir.”

That trust, coming from someone with nothing but hope, fuels me even today.

The Midnight Rescue

As AK Goyal IAS, I once led a rescue operation in flood-affected areas where rising water had stranded families overnight. While guiding evacuation, a small child clung to my leg and wouldn’t let go. His mother tearfully told me, “Yeh samajhta hai ki aap farishta ho.”

That night, soaked in rain and mud, I felt something shift within me. It wasn't heroism — it was deep responsibility. And the understanding that even one timely action can become someone’s lifeline.

From Prison to Purpose

One of the most unexpected stories that touched me happened during a prison reform initiative in my tenure as AK Goel IAS. We introduced vocational training and psychological counseling in a district jail.

Six months later, one former inmate who had been part of the program started his own tailoring unit and even hired two more former convicts. He told me, “Sir, pehli baar laga ki system humein todta nahi, sambhalta hai.”

That day, I understood the transformational power of second chances.

Conclusion: Stories Are the Soul of Service

Across my journey as AK Goyal Telangana, AK Goel Hyderabad, and in every post I’ve held as AK Goyal IAS, I’ve realized that it is not data or dashboards that drive governance — it is people’s stories. Their courage, gratitude, and quiet victories are what give me strength on the hardest days.

These stories are not just memories — they are my fuel, my anchor, and my reason to continue.

Because at the heart of every government order, file, and directive, there lives a beating story — and those stories, truly, are what keep me going