Studied at IIT, quit Microsoft job to become famous hero, then left it to crack UPSC exam, didn’t become IAS Officer due to…, his name is..

Several actors come into the entertainment world. Some burn out slowly and fade away, others blaze far brighter than the rest. However, several stars make their path and leave their mark. Abhay Daga is one of them. He is a famous television actor. Nevertheless, acting was never his end goal. While most performers become consumed by the glamour and fame, Abhay took the opportunity to take a step back and pursue a greater cause. Not only did he engage audiences, but Abhay Daga also cracked the UPSC exam, secured All India Rank(AIR) 185th, and became an IPS officer.

Who is this IIT graduate who left Microsoft to pursue…?

Abhay Daga first gained fame due to his role in the historical show ‘Siya Ke Ram’ on Star Plus, where he made an impression on the audience. However, his journey is not limited to acting. According to an IndiaTV Hindi report, Abhay studied Computer Science at IIT Kharagpur, where he later worked as a cybersecurity professional for the global company Microsoft. However, no matter how successful he was in the tech industry, a part of his heart kept drawing him toward pursuing the arts.

Abhay Daga (officially Abhay Rajendra Daga) hails from Maharashtra. His parents, Dr. Rajendra and Dr. Meena Daga, are renowned child specialists based in Wardha, Maharashtra. After finishing his Class 10th at BVB Lloyds Vidya Niketan School in Wardha, Abhay moved to Hyderabad for his intermediate studies, where he also prepared for the JEE exam alongside his schooling.

In 2013, Abhay Daga passed the JEE exam. According to some records, Abhay Rajendra Daga’s rank in the JEE exam was 500. On this rank, Abhay Daga got admission in IIT Kharagpur – one of the premier engineering institutes in the country. According to the information captured on the official website of IIT Kharagpur Alumni, www.iitkgpalumnifoundation.in, Abhay Daga got a Dual Degree/IT degree from IIT Kharagpur.

His interest in theater began in college, one of the first indications of his acting career. He was able to properly balance his studies and tech career. He was able to best showcase himself in front of the camera, where he demonstrated that passion for something overcomes everything. Abhay’s story perfectly demonstrates that talent, when properly cultivated, shines on all stages.

In the year 2018, he played the role of Shatrughan in Star Plus’s popular TV show ‘Siya Ke Ram’. But the story stops here? No! A new chapter opens up. An artist who has had his share of successes in acting and the tech industry made a different choice. After joining Microsoft in 2018, as part of the cybersecurity team’s mission to address the growing problem of digital fraud, specifically in India, something else was emerging inside him—a new dream.

In 2021, when many questioned life during the COVID-19 pandemic, Abhay made the courageous choice to leave it all behind in order to prepare for the UPSC exam. After acting and tech, this was the third major turning point in his life, where he embraced the opportunity to redefine himself once again. This choice was not simply about a career change; it was his commitment to service to the nation.

What rank did he achieve in the UPSC exam?

Even though Abhay Daga had a bright career path in the TV industry and at Microsoft, which many could only dream of, he took the biggest leap of his life. In 2021, he quit his job at Microsoft with a package of lakhs without a second thought and began preparing full-time for the UPSC exam since then. His effort did not go in vain; when he cleared UPSC CSE, the world’s toughest exam, in 2023. Abhay Daga’s UPSC rank was 185.

Abhay Daga truly wrote his script for his dreams and has lived it out. After only two years of hard work and grit, he attempted the UPSC exam for the first time in 2023, obtaining an impressive 185th rank in the country. This is not only an exam achievement but a story of how a person can reach the right destination in life by taking different paths. While most people stay in one career, Abhay has found success in three careers: acting, technology, and now civil service. He began training at the National Police Academy in November 2024 and was allotted the Uttar Pradesh cadre in 2025, notwithstanding the fact that his home state was Maharashtra.

Abhay Rajendra Daga had scored 799 marks in the UPSC Mains exam and 179 marks in the interview. He got a government job in the Indian Police Service with 185th rank in UPSC CSE 2023. According to the ips.gov.in website, IPS Abhay Rajendra Daga’s home state is Maharashtra, and he has been allotted the UP cadre.

News