Home Newsroom UPSC Success Story: Inspired By Martyred Brother, Tea-Seller’s Son Secures AIR 82

UPSC Success Story: Inspired By Martyred Brother, Tea-Seller’s Son Secures AIR 82

Everyone knows that UPSC is a tough exam to crack but to do without coaching is even tougher. And yet, Deshaldan, son of a tea-seller, did so - securing AIR 82. Here’s his inspiring story.

Srishti Magan

0 min read

UPSC Success Story: Inspired By Martyred Brother, Tea-Seller’s Son Secures AIR 82

0 min read

Table of content:

Martyred Brother’s Advice Changed His Course Of Life
Aspiring For Something Beyond Reach
Cracking UPSC: No Parallel For Hard Work

Despite UPSC being one of the toughest exams to crack, millions take the exam every year. Because cracking UPSC and becoming a Civil Servant can change the course of your life. That was what drove IAS Deshaldan to pursue the exam, despite his humble origins.

Second of seven siblings and son of a simple tea-seller, Deshal cleared the UPSC exam in 2017 - that too without coaching. Read how he navigated a financial crunch and worked with limited resources to crack the exam in his maiden attempt.

Martyred Brother’s Advice Changed His Course Of Life

Deshaldan originally hails from Sumaliai village in Jaisalmer. His father, Kushaldan Charan, was a farmer - but the meager land he held wasn’t enough to sustain his family. Thus, he set up a small tea stall. Due to their difficult circumstances, he couldn’t afford education for all his children. He is one of the two siblings to have received a proper education. His mother is a homemaker and illiterate.

IAS Deshaldan's father

Source: YouTube

Deshaldan’s elder brother, the eldest in the family, served in the Indian Navy for nearly eight years - even stepping in to help their father sustain the family. However, when Deshaldan was only in grade 10, he lost his brother.

His brother was martyred in an accident that occurred onboard a submarine. His brother had always advised him to serve his country - and that’s what inspired Dan to pursue UPSC. In an exclusive interview with The Better India, he shared,

“I had heard several stories from him about the Indian Navy. He spoke so highly of being in service and would often tell me to follow suit; either join the armed forces or the administrative service.”

Aspiring For Something Beyond Reach

After completing his 10th from Jaisalmer and 12th from Kota, Deshal pursued a B.Tech degree from IIIT Jabalpur. To prepare for the civil services examination, he moved to Delhi.

IAS Deshaldan

Source: Twitter

However, he could not pursue any formal coaching for UPSC because of financial constraints. In fact, his father had to take a loan to support his education. Though his father supported him, he did believe that Deshal was pursuing an “unachievable dream”. But Deshal’s passion and determination kept him going.

“He (Deshaldan’s father) would often tell me that what I was aspiring to become was something beyond my reach. He also often asked me why I was working so hard for the unachievable. If I hadn’t believed in myself I would have also been in the village engaged in agriculture and allied work.”

His hard work bore fruit when he cracked the UPSC exam in his maiden attempt, securing AIR 82. He also secured the fifth rank in IFS.

Cracking UPSC: No Parallel For Hard Work

With his hard work, Deshaldan brought laurels to not just his family, but his entire village - who celebrated his achievement. In his own words, “Whenever you dream, dream big. Because it’s important to dream big to achieve something big.”

IAS Deshaldan

Source: Instagram

As congratulatory messages poured in, he shared with the media that though there’s no parallel for hard work, proper guidance to the students in remote areas can channel them in the right direction.

He chose Mathematics as his optional subject. He also shared his preparation strategy and book list:

For English, it’s important to practice.
Option subject choice is critical. Choose a subject that can help you score high and where information is easily available.
For Forestry, opt for - A Breakthrough Approach To Forest Service by K. Manikandan S. Prabhu.
Follow online resources and YouTube videos to learn.
Analyze the question papers of the past 5-7 years to understand which section should get the most focus.

His story, and tips, are the ideal inspiration for anyone preparing for the UPSC CSE examination!

Suggested Reads:

Edited by

Srishti Magan

Sr. Content Editor

I’m a reader first and a writer second, constantly diving into the world of content. If I’m not writing or reading, I like watching movies and dreaming of a life by the beach.