Slept on railway platform, even worked in mills, mother and sister laboured in field, cracked UPSC exam in fourth attempt, became IAS Officer with AIR…, his name is..
Becoming an IAS officer is a dream for millions of students in India. Some aspirants don’t allow their hardships to deter them. Instead, they choose to work hard with determination, focus, and honesty. One such inspiring story is IAS M Sivaguru Prabhakaran, who has broken the chains of poverty to live the life he had always wanted, through hard work, determination, and perseverance.
Who is this inspiring IAS officer?
Sivaguru was born into an extremely poor farmer’s family in a small village in Tamil Nadu. During his childhood, he had no proper home to stay in and often had to sleep on the railway platforms. Sivaguru’s father was an alcoholic. So, the responsibility of the family devolved to his mother and sister. Their financial situation was so severe that his mother was forced to work in the fields, and his sister would make bamboo baskets to be able to contribute to the family.
What hardships did he face in childhood?
Given these circumstances, Sivaguru began to do labor and small jobs at an early age. Due to these difficulties, Prabhakaran had to temporarily discontinue his education and took a job as a sawmill operator. He worked there for two years, while also doing some farming on the side, to support his family. During the day, he witnessed his mother and sister working hard in the fields and then weaving bamboo baskets at night to help sustain the family.
Prabhakaran was determined to create a better future, so he allocated his small income between supporting his family and pursuing his education. After his sister’s wedding, he resumed his studies while also providing financial support to his brother’s education. Prabhakaran faced many obstacles. In 2008, HE secured admission to the civil engineering program at Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology in Vellore in 2008.
What was his All India Rank (AIR) when he cleared the exam?
To sustain his living expenses and manage college tuition, Prabhakaran took on temporary jobs during his spare time. He attended classes during the weekdays, spent his weekends studying on the platforms of St. Thomas Mount railway station, making the most of every opportunity to pursue his dreams. Hard work leads to success, as they say, and Prabhakaran’s hard work was rewarded when his hard work resulted in clearing the IIT Madras entrance exam for M.Tech and secured an M.Tech degree in 2014.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Sivaguru began to do labor and small jobs at an early age.
- In 2017, he secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 101 on his fourth attempt.
- After his sister’s wedding, he resumed his studies while also providing financial support to his brother’s education.
- Prabhakaran faced many obstacles.
Determined to rise further, he set his eyes on the UPSC exam. Although he faced a few disappointments, he kept at the exam, and, finally, in 2017, he secured an All India Rank (AIR) of 101 on his fourth attempt.
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