A Mother’s Resolve: Srinagar’s ‘Momo Girl’ Chases UPSC Dream After Sundown

Suhail Khan

Srinagar, Jan 22: By day, she is the ‘momo girl’ of summer capital Srinagar, deftly preparing and selling steaming dumplings from her modest stall. By night, she is a student, poring over books in pursuit of her goal to crack the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. And through it all, she is a single mother of two children, determined to build a secure future for them through dignity and labour.

Holding a Master’s degree in English, the woman, who requested anonymity, has become an unlikely symbol of resilience in the city. Her story is not just one of survival, but of ambition defiantly nurtured against the odds.

“It is all by Allah’s will, by His grace, that I have this courage. When Allah gives someone courage, no one can snatch it away,” she told Kashmir Convener.

Her day begins early, managing the stall before returning home by 3:30 PM to attend to her children. The evening is dedicated to preparing for the next day’s sales, with precious slivers of time carved out for UPSC preparation. “In between, I manage to take out a little time for my studies,” she said.

“It’s not that we had nothing to eat, but to secure the future of my children, I took this step to earn for them with dignity rather than choosing to beg,” she explained. “No one should feel ashamed of earning their rightful livelihood in a lawful way.”

Her eyes are fixed on a twin horizon: her children’s prosperity and her own professional dream. “For their safe future, I am working… so they face no obstacles in their studies. In their bright future, may my children bring glory to our country, India,” she said. “I am also taking time to reach my goal, which is to crack the civil services.”

“I want to prove wrong those who left me alone. I took a stand to prove my worth through hard work—that nothing is impossible,” she stated. Her aim is to reach a level “where everyone thinks, ‘If she can, why can’t I?’”

Admitting the intense challenge of juggling her roles, she clings to a simple philosophy: “Courage elevates a person’s spirit all the way to achieving success.” She credits her faith for her start, recalling she began the business without a single coin. “One should believe in Allah’s plans; He has the best plans for everyone.”

“Parents can play a role; they can shape their children toward a beautiful future,” she said, urging a balance between religious and worldly education. “Keeping the current situation in mind—how our children are getting involved in drugs and other social evils—it is because of parents. We have a responsibility to steer our children toward the positive, right direction.”

In a society where single motherhood often carries a stigma, her momo stall is more than a business—it’s a statement of self-reliance, a classroom for her children, and a stepping stone toward a larger destiny, one dumpling at a time.