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Cutting through the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is the aspiration of crores of people in India. But only a few manage to convert this dream into reality with their sheer hard work, perseverance, and unwavering enthusiasm. One such motivational personality is Ravi Raj, a boy from the Nawada district of Bihar, who secured an exemplary All India Rank (AIR) 182 in the UPSC 2024 exam — and that too, in his first attempt.

The most astonishing aspect of Ravi's achievement is his array of challenges he had to overcome along the way. Blind since birth and due to economic hardship, Ravi's journey is a testament to determination and perseverance.

As he was born in a poor family, Ravi's father Ranjan Kumar Sinha is an agriculturist by profession and his mother Vibha Sinha manages their home. Ravi completed his primary education at Dayal Public School and graduated from Sitaram Sahu College, Nawada. Though he was from a poor family with less resource, Ravi was adamant to be a good student.

In 2023, Ravi took the first major step towards his aspiration by clearing the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam with Rank 490 and joining as a Revenue Officer. But he did not rest on that accomplishment. Inspired to work for the nation on a broader platform, Ravi cast his eyes beyond the BPSC exam and set his target on the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

One of the pillars on Ravi's journey was his mother, Vibha Sinha, who was his constant source of motivation. She would always assist with preparation — reading textbooks to him, typing out Ravi's class notes, and even voice-dubbing YouTube lectures so study material was accessible. Handling household work and son's preparation, Vibha's dedication was the turning point in Ravi's success.

Ravi never lost faith in the middle of physical, mental, and monetary fluctuations. It is not a story of passing a renowned exam; it is a shining testament to the reality that great will, parental support, and an unbreakable feeling of resolve are potent enough to conquer any monstrous defeat.

Ravi Raj's success is a powerful message — that there is no obstacle bigger than one's will to succeed. His tale will certainly inspire thousands of others who are wrestling with their own issues, showing that through the right attitude and motivation, one's fantasies can be made into realities.

RankAshish Raghuvanshi belongs to Digoda village in Ashoknagar district, and completed his primary education in his hometown.

Ashish Raghuvanshi, the 23-year-old son of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Naresh Raghuvanshi, posted at the Superintendent of Police (SP) office in Gwalior, has successfully cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024, securing All India Rank (AIR) 202 in his very first attempt.

Ashish is a native of Digoda village, Ashoknagar district, and received his primary education in his village. He afterwards went for graduation from the Delhi University (DU) and received the same in 2022. This is when he started studying for the civil services examination.

Talking to ANI, Ashish stated, "I have stuck to the basic study materials suggested by the toppers, nothing out of the ordinary. I kept reading the newspaper every day and followed the syllabus. I always wanted to be an IAS since childhood. Also, my father is a member of the Madhya Pradesh police, and I read about the higher ranks of SP and Collector. Also, my school in Ashok Nagar was in front of the collector's office, and the collector used to visit our school on different occasions. So it motivated me that I also want to achieve such a post."

He also stated that the person who worked hard every time, then he would receive its outcome. One should never lose hope if they are unable to achieve success in the very first attempt.

"It is not like that it was my first attempt, then it was a year long hard work. It is the outcome of Hard work which was a long process. To get selected, one needs to work in the right direction with the right strategy from the beginning. I want to motivate all to give their 100% in their own fields. It was my first attempt, so I would again try to enhance my rank. Other than this, I will do my best, whatever allotment is provided till now," he added.

While his father Naresh Raghuvanshi got emotional when he discussed his son's achievement. While talking to ANI, he expressed that he was extremely happy and felt speechless. He had not imagined it, but could not describe his feeling into words.

"It is a moment of pride for us, and I would welcome him with pride. The family is also extremely happy following his achievement, and it was all his hard work in reaching this milestone," he said.

Gwalior SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police), Dharmvir Singh, also welcomed Raghuvanshi and his family for the achievement, stating that it was a moment of pride both for the Gwalior police and the entire MP police.

"Son of a police family, Ashish Raghuvanshi, has not only brought pride to Gwalior police but the entire MP police as well. It is a very proud moment, and Ashish's father is an employee in my office. I am extremely happy to hear that, in his first attempt, he achieved the 202nd rank in the Civil Service Examination. It is a proud moment for the whole Madhya Pradesh Police that the son of a police family has cleared the UPSC exam in his first attempt after completing his graduation from the Delhi University. I congratulate him and his family," Singh said.

With his achievement, other children in the police family will surely gain inspiration and will be encouraged to excel well in their life in the future, the SP added.

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.