Meet Himanshu Gupta: The Man Who Once Sold Tea At His Father's Stall Clears IAS Without Any Coaching

Meet this tea seller from Uttar Pradesh who cracked the UPSC with AIR-139 in 2020 without any formal coaching! Fill your hearts with this inspiring story to realize that dreaming big proves fruitful in one way or another!

Born in Uttarakhand’s district Sitarganj, Himanshu’s childhood was spent in abject poverty. His father was a daily wage worker, which led the family through many financial strains. Consequently, his father opened a tea stall, where Himanshu started helping out his father sell tea after school.

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Himanshu was brilliant in his studies and always dreamt of becoming an IAS officer once his graduation was completed.  At one point in time, when his family shifted to Sirauli, Himanshu traveled 70 km daily to study at the nearest English medium school.

“I never saw my father much because he went around different places trying to find jobs. It was very difficult for us financially and this was also one of the reasons why my family moved to Shivpuri in Bareilly where my maternal grandparents lived. So, I was enrolled at the local government school there,” said Himanshu.

Himanshu added that he had no idea about UPSC when he was young. It was after only he got into Hindu College at Delhi University (DU) that the idea of appearing for the exam struck him. 

How did the UPSC bug bit Himanshu Gupta?

After completing 12th, Himanshu Gupta moved to Delhi, and it turned out to be a life-changing experience for him.

He got into Hindu College and paid his fees by taking tuitions, writing paid blogs, and applying for scholarships. 

“Hindu college was almost like a training ground for me – I am thankful to my peers for everything I learned there,” he says. After completing his Bachelor’s, Himanshu enrolled for a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from DU. He continued, “I worked hard and also topped the university. This also led me to get admission to pursue my Ph.D. from a foreign university.”

But he decided to stay in India.“I spent three months trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life."

The UPSC journey of becoming an IAS officer

Himanshu Gupta attempted the UPSC Civil Services Exam thrice. In the first attempt in 2018, he managed to get into Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS). In 2019, he attempted it again and got into Indian Police Service (IPS), and finally, in 2020, he got into Indian Administrative Service (IAS) by securing AIR-139.

“I wanted to get into IAS because it is not domain-specific and allows one to explore so many different aspects of bureaucracy,” he adds.

While for Himanshu becoming an IAS officer was not a childhood dream, he says,

I knew I wanted to work with grassroots organizations and bring about a direct change. Being a part of the administrative services helps in doing just that.

Today, Himanshu’s parents have left behind their struggles. On this, Himanshu said, “There can be no greater joy for parents than that. While they do not understand the magnitude of my job (IAS), they know it is a big deal and that makes them proud. The biggest reason why I managed to succeed is that I had zero pressure from my parents and their immense trust in my ability to succeed. That empowered me to achieve whatever I have so far.”

There is no mountain that can’t be scaled and no river that can be crossed. What all you need is determination, grit, and hope. Himanshu Gupta is just another reminder to keep trying because at the end of the tunnel there is light. And we can all achieve our goals. All we need is the spirit to keep trying! 

UPSC 2022 important dates

The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit suitable candidates into civil services of India including IAS, IPS, IFS, and other allied services. This examination is conducted in three phases namely UPSC Prelims, UPSC Main, and the personality Test or UPSC Interview. 

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