Meet Tarachand Agarwal, 71-year-old retired bank manager from Jaipur, who cracked CA Final 2025, was inspired by…

A 71-year-old retired bank manager from Jaipur, has done something truly inspiring,  he has passed the tough Chartered Accountant (CA) exam, something that many young people struggle with. Tarachand Agarwal was born in Sangria, a town in Hanumangarh, Rajasthan. His father was a farmer and small businessman, and Tarachand was the fourth among eight siblings. He finished his school education in Sangria and got married to Darshana in 1974.

In 1976, he began working as a clerk at the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (now part of the State Bank of India). After working for 38 years, he retired as an Assistant General Manager in 2014.

After his wife passed away in November 2020, life became very quiet and empty for him. “Even though my children and grandchildren were around, I just couldn’t concentrate on anything,” he said.

Following his children’s advice, he started reading the Bhagavad Gita. That helped him reconnect with learning, and soon he found a new purpose in studying again.

What encouraged Tarachand Agarwal to clear CA exam?

When Tarachand Agarwal thought about doing a PhD, his children suggested something even harder.
“They told me, ‘Why don’t you do CA instead? It’s very tough, but people will really respect it,”  he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. His little granddaughter added, “If you can teach me, then why can’t you do it yourself?”

That moment gave him the push he needed. In July 2021, Tarachand officially signed up for the Chartered Accountant course.

He passed the foundation exam in May 2022, cleared the intermediate in January 2023, and although he didn’t pass the final exam on his first try in May 2024, he succeeded in his second attempt this year. The results were declared on July 6 on the ICAI website.

Tarachand Agarwal’s success

Tarachand studied up to 10 hours every day, even while dealing with shoulder pain. He practised writing for long hours to keep up with exam demands. He didn’t join any coaching or classes, he learned everything on his own using books and YouTube.

To avoid feeling lonely at home, he sometimes sat and studied at his younger son’s general store.

Tarachand’s elder son, Lalit, is a CA in Delhi, and his younger son, Amit, works in tax consulting. Their support made all the difference. “They helped me register, got me a laptop, and encouraged me throughout the journey,” he said.

But the biggest inspiration came from a lesson in the Bhagavad Gita that his uncle once taught him.
“He told me — whatever work you start, do it with full dedication. Don’t stop halfway.”

Tarachand followed that advice every day. “Whatever I do, I give it my 100%. That’s what the Gita has taught me,” he said.

(With PTI inputs)

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