3.5 Feet Tall IAS Story: She was mocked for her height, Arti Dogra is now a role model for UPSC aspirants

IAS Arti Dogra

In a world that often judges by appearances, IAS officer Arti Dogra's story is a powerful reminder that true strength comes from within. Standing at just 3.5 feet tall, Arti didn't just break barriers but shattered them, proving that no dream is too big and no obstacle too great.

From her early years in Dehradun, Arti was different. While other children grew taller, her height stayed at 3.5 feet. People stared, whispered and sometimes even laughed. The world seemed to tell her that her physical stature would define her life's possibilities.

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But Arti had a secret weapon, her parents. Her father, Colonel Rajendra Dogra and her mother, Kumkum Dogra, a school principal, never treated her as fragile or limited. They encouraged her to study, play and dream like any other child. Their belief became her foundation.

Arti was a bright student. She completed her schooling in Dehradun, graduated from Delhi University and even earned a Master's degree. But she wanted more, she wanted to serve. So, she set her sights on the UPSC Civil Services Exam, one of the toughest exams in India.

The journey wasn't easy. People continued to doubt her. Some wondered aloud how someone of her size could handle the pressure and responsibility of being an administrator. But Arti had grown used to turning doubt into determination. She studied tirelessly, focusing not on her limitations but on her capabilities.

When she cleared the exam and became an IAS officer, it wasn't out of sympathy, it was through sheer merit. And once she got her chance, she proved herself again and again.

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She served as the District Collector and Magistrate in Bundi, Bikaner, and Ajmer. As Managing Director of Jodhpur Vidyut Vitratan Nigam Limited, her work was so exceptional that she was honoured by the President of India.

She didn’t just do her job, she excelled. She went on to become Joint Secretary and Special Secretary to former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and now serves as Secretary of the Department of Information, Technology, and Communication.

Today, when people see Arti Dogra, they don’t see her height first, they see her achievements, her authority and her inspiring presence. She didn't change her height; she changed people's perspective.