Education Leaders | Top Interviews

Shakti Dubey, who secured first rank in UPSC Main 2024 exam, was always a bright student, revealed her father. Jubilation broke out in the Dubey family in Prayagraj as Shakti Dubey reached the pinnacle of the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024. With laughter, tears, and hugs all around, her family savored the glow of her remarkable achievement. In an interview with NDTV, her father Devendra Kumar Dubey expressed the family's happiness with Sahkti's success and attributed the phenomenal outcome to her hard work and god's blessings.

"I am feeling great, it's all because of god's grace," Mr Dubey stated.

Shakti was always a meritorious student, exhibiting exemplary academic performance and achievement.

"She completed her graduation from Allahabad University, and she is a gold medallist. Then, she did MSc from Banaras Hindu University (BHU)," said Mr Dubey.

Shakti had been training for UPSC exam for two-three years, and even attended a coaching center in Delhi in the COVID era. But afterward, she went back home and prepared on her own.

"She passed the exam in her third attempt. She made it to the interview round in her second attempt, but failed to pass the exam at that time. But something better was waiting for her, and we are witnessing this outcome," said jubilant Mr Dubey.Her neighbour Sujata Dwivedi joined in, "I have been residing in his locality for 10 year, and a news like this has arrived for the first time."

"The family life is good, she received a lot of support from family. All of us are thrilled," she said.

Shakti informed news agency ANI said that she had been working hard for a long time, and initially, she was not able to believe the outcome, but later came to accept them.

In an honest Facebook post, Bharat opened up about how his background shaped his communication journey, the challenges he faced in professional settings, and how empathy can transform workplace culture.

Bharat:  I come from a village and studied under the Jharkhand Board, which didn’t emphasize spoken English the way urban schools often do. I struggled with certain pronunciations—especially words with letters like 'F', 'V', 'W', 'Bh', 'S', and 'Sh'. When I began working, I realized that I was mispronouncing words without knowing it. Some colleagues would correct me—some kindly, others not so much.

 Honestly, it was a mix. When people corrected me with kindness, I appreciated it. But some did it in a condescending tone, which made me feel small. I remember once pronouncing “Chicago” the Indian way, and a colleague snapped, “It’s Shicago.” I later found out both pronunciations are valid. That moment stayed with me—not because of the correction, but the way it was delivered.

 Absolutely. I began avoiding public speaking and hesitated to contribute in meetings, especially around people who often pointed out my errors. It impacted my self-worth to the extent that I discussed it in therapy. For years, I felt I wasn’t doing enough to improve my pronunciation.

Collaborating with international colleagues made a huge difference. I realized that everyone has an accent, a unique way of speaking—and that's okay. What truly matters is your ideas, your insight, your contribution. That shift in perspective helped me regain confidence and focus on my strengths."

If you’re in a position to help someone, do it with empathy. Correct them gently and privately. Never make language or pronunciation a reason to humiliate someone. And for those struggling—don’t let someone else’s opinion define your worth. Keep learning, keep speaking. Your voice matters.

As Bharat prepares to take the next big step in his journey—raising funds to pursue his Master’s at the prestigious Harvard Kennedy School—he remains grounded in his purpose: creating inclusive spaces where communication is about connection, not perfection.

If you’d like to support Bharat in his academic pursuits, either financially or by connecting him to people who can help, your contribution could be life-changing. Every act of support brings him one step closer to his dream.

Let’s uplift voices like Bharat’s—not just for how they speak, but for what they stand for.

Narayana Co Kaveri Bhavan, Kasavanahalli student Kushagra Gupta scored 100 percentile in JEE Main 2025 paper-1 and joined the elite club of 24 students from across the country.

Kushagra achieved 100 percentile in the initial test of JEE, whereas in the second test, he achieved 99.9 percentile. Born in Kanpur, Kushagra grew up in Bengaluru. He did his class 10 at Primus Public School with 99.9%, standing third in the state in ICSE exams, before shifting to Narayana for class 11.

"My attention was primarily on becoming better and consistent in the long run, rather than simply aiming for a top rank. That's it. Our school used to hold JEE Mains pattern tests daily. So we used to provide new questions on a daily basis and I received plenty of practice from that," he said.

He is presently training for the JEE Advanced and is keen to obtain a seat in IIT Bombay for computer science. He studies for about 12-13 hours a day, is able to venture out to play once he gets stressed out, and attempts to resume the pace quite soon after. "I developed my interest in engineering in class 11. I was interested in maths and physics and felt engineering would be a good fit for me," he said.

Amit Kumar Gupta, an engineer and the father of Kushagra, is employed with Alstom Transport India Ltd and his mother, Madhumita Gupta, is a doctor employed with Phillips Healthcare as a senior scientist.

Results were declared on April 18 night.

From the small town of Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh to the crowded classes of IIT Delhi, this is the story of a student who made his failures stepping stones. In this heart-warming interview, an MTech student of Chemical Engineering recounts to us his inspirational story — from being denied an IIT seat during his bachelors to doing it at last through pure will power and perseverance in GATE 2023.

He talks of the pressure of competitive exams, adapting to a new culture of North India, finding joy in small campus moments, and the sense of achievement that came with winning a decades-old aspiration. From what he narrates, we get a glimpse of the life at one of India's premier institutes — beyond the books and classroom lectures — where friendships, food, sports, and determination make the true IIT experience.

Q: Take us back to where your IIT journey actually began.

I was intrigued by figures, reactions, and the elegance of equations since a kid. By Class 11 and 12, I was certain I wished to be a chemical engineer. Even though I couldn't crack IIT for my BTech, I studied the subject at SASTRA Deemed University. But the IIT dream did not disappear. A research internship at IIT Bombay reasserted it. The atmosphere there – charged and charged – was unfamiliar to me. And that is when I realized I must attempt once again.

Q: What motivated you to attempt once again?

My family members in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. My father is a government school teacher, and my mother is a housewife. I was motivated by their sacrifices. I realized that achieving success in IIT would make them proud. GATE 2022 failure was tough, but I worked harder through mock tests and past year papers and finally achieved an AIR 301 in GATE 2023. That helped me get into IIT Delhi for MTech in Chemical Engineering.

Q: What was your life like in IIT Delhi?

Adjustment was not easy – the climate, the food (potatoes aplenty!), and the tempo. But the friends made everything feasible. TT sessions at midnight, placement buzz, and late-night canteen snacks in IIT are memories that I will have throughout my life.

Q: How did you manage expenditure and studies?

The Rs 12,400 monthly allowance covered PG and food. I was judicious with expenses and fasted occasionally during phases, both for health and economy. Besides the academic burden, I also became a member of the Placement Cell and the Telugu community club. It was like home.

Q: How do you feel now, looking back?

IIT Delhi was not a degree. It taught me perseverance, gave me friends for life, and most importantly, made me an IITian. I would not alter anything.

Part-time working and belonging to a poor family could not deter Nagaveni Rayachur from Hubballi from achieving the 5th rank in Karnataka's II PUC (Arts) results this year. In an interview with Udayavani, she shared her story of grit, support, and determination.

Q: Congratulations, Nagaveni! How do you feel after achieving 5th rank in the state.

Nagaveni: Thank you! Honestly, I was aiming for the 1st rank, but I'm really happy with the 5th. I worked very hard, and this result feels like a reward for that hard work.

Q: You've performed outstandingly well — 100 in Geography and Political Science, and 99 in Education and Kannada. What was your study approach?

Nagaveni: I never studied under stress. I used to like studying, particularly Geography and Political Science. I self-prepared notes, followed a routine, and revised from time to time.

Q: We heard you used to do part-time work as well?

Nagaveni: Yes, I also did part-time work during vacations to sustain myself for education. My father works as a daily wage labourer and my mother is a domestic helper. It was not easy to pay for college fees. Fortunately, I got scholarships and my lecturers assisted with books and monetary assistance.

Q: That is wonderful. What kept you going in the face of these adversities?

Nagaveni: My dream of doing something worthwhile for society. I would like to pursue social service — to give back, particularly to students like me who are financially disadvantaged.

Q: Any message for other students?

Nagaveni: Don't let issues discourage you. If you believe in what you are doing, remain committed. Help will come, sometimes from the most unexpected quarters.

Nagaveni's tale is one not simply of scholarship, but of silent strength and optimism.

Karnataka's II PUC 2025 results created a wave of celebrations, mainly from Thirthahalli town and Kaniyooru town, with two deserving students sweeping the state level in the Science stream.

We caught up with the state’s first and fifth rank holders—Diksha R. from Thirthahalli and Shrividya N. from Kaniyooru—to learn more about their journey, their routines, and the dreams they’re chasing.

Diksha R., Vagdev Education Institution, Thirthahalli

State Rank: 1 | Marks: 599/600

Q: First of all, congratulations, Diksha! How does it feel to top the state?

Diksha: Thanks! It was wonderful, actually. I did not anticipate being state first, but I had worked a bit, so I expected a good one.

Q: What was your study routine like?

Diksha: I made sure to study every day. Our lecturers were very motivating—explained things well and cleared all my doubts. I also watched subject-specific YouTube videos, which helped me understand tough concepts better.

Q: What motivated you over the course of the year?

Diksha: My parents motivate me. Both my parents are teachers—my father teaches at Megaravalli School and my mother teaches at Thirthahalli Balakiyara High School. Seeing them committed actually made me committed too.

Q: What's next for you?

Diksha: I'd like to become an engineer. I'm especially interested in computer science.

Shrividya N., Government PU College, Kaniyooru

State Rank: 5 | Marks: 595/600

Topper Among Government PU Colleges

Q: Shrividya, state's fifth ranker and government PU college topper across the board—how are you feeling today?

Shrividya: Very proud. I felt that government college students also had the potential to perform at the top level, and I'm happy I could do so.

Q: Did you think anything in particular gave you the edge?

Shrividya: I stayed concentrated and strictly followed what my teachers said. They were always ready to help, and that helped immensely. I also did continuous revisions and took plenty of mock tests.

Q: Can you say a little about your family.

Shrividya: My father is the headmaster at Pragathi English Medium School, and my mother always encouraged me to be strong in my dreams. Their belief in me motivated me.

Q: And what are your future dreams?

Shrividya: I also wish to study engineering. I have always been fascinated by technology.

While Karnataka is celebrating excellence par excellence in the results of II PUC, Diksha and Shrividya are both shining examples of how quality teaching, family support, and consistency can help achieve out-of-the-world success—irrespective of where you study.