Meet IAS Sivaguru Who Once Slept On Platform, Worked In Factory To Fund His Studies | Read His Story

Born into a family of farmers, Prabhakaran has witnessed poverty since childhood.

Chennai: Cracking UPSC exam is not so easy as it needs strong preparation and adequate economic support from family. However, if one is determined to succeed in life, all these situations and hurdles wont matter. Such is the case of Tamil Nadu’s M Sivaguru Prabhakaran, who cracked the UPSC Civil Services Examination (UPSC CSE) in 2017, despite all difficulties and financial problems. Now, he has become an inspiration for all in his society.

From Struggle to Success: An Arduous Journey

Born into a family of farmers, Prabhakaran has witnessed poverty since childhood. He has seen his mother and sister working tirelessly in the fields and even weaved bamboo baskets at night to run the family. These financial struggles and his father’s alcohol addiction were a major challenge for Prabhakaran. Because of these hurdles, Prabhakaran had to once stop his studies and work as a sawmill operator. He worked there for two years while engaging in some farming activities to support his family.

Determination and Will Power

Determined to grow in life, Prabhakaran decided to divide his small income between his family’s needs and academic pursuits. After his sister’s marriage, Prabhakaran restarted his studies and supported his brother’s education. Amid these struggles, he got admission to a civil engineering program at Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology in Vellore in 2008.

From Railway Platforms to Social Platforms

However, to make ends meet and pay for his college tuition, he continued his temporary work during his spare time and also used to attend classes during the weekdays and even spent his weekends at the platforms of St. Thomas Mount railway station for his studies.

As they say hard work leads to success, finally Prabhakaran’s consistent efforts led him to clear IIT Madras entrance exam for M.Tech and he earned his postgraduate degree in 2014.

Ladder of Success

With one step after another, he wanted to climb the success ladder and set his sights on the UPSC examination. Even after facing setbacks, he refused to give up and on his fourth attempt in 2017, Prabhakaran finally cracked the UPSC exam with an impressive All India Rank (AIR) of 101.

“I worked as a sawmill operator for two years and did a bit of farming. Whatever money I could muster, I spent some on my family and saved some for my education. I wasn’t prepared to let go of my dreams,” Sivaguru Prabakaran once said in an interview.

An Inspiration For Society

With his success in the UPSC exam, he has become an inspiration for his community and society. Prabhakaran’s story speaks of resilience and perseverance in the face of adversity.

His story is also a testament to the power of determination and hard work. Rising above his challenging situation, Prabhakaran not only achieved personal success but also served as an inspiration to millions of aspiring UPSC candidates across India.

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