Meet This Daily Wage Laborer’s Son Who Cleared UPSC In His First Attempt

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Meet This Daily Wage Laborer’s Son Who Cleared UPSC In His First Attempt

As the saying goes, what you do today, your hard work, and persistence determine your future; what it does not determine is destiny. IAS Vijay Amruta is one such inspiration for all the UPSC aspirants demonstrating that adversity or a weak background has no bearing on one's future.

IAS Vijay Amruta’s Childhood

Born into a small family in Ralegan, Maharashtra's Ahmadnagar district, Vijay Amruta had a rough childhood, his father worked as a tailor and his mother worked as a day laborer on farms. His parents’ earnings were only Rs.200 per day, which made even two square meals a day unthinkable. Vijay Amruta saw his parents' hardships and wanted to give them a better life.

His parents instilled in him the value of education and how it has the power to change people's lives. So he concentrated on his studies throughout his school career and was a top performer in the 10th and 12th board exams.

In an interview with Better India, Vijay recalls his parents' teachings, saying,

'From a young age, my parents taught me the importance of education and how it could change our lives for the better.' My sister and I may not have had any toys as children, but we never went without the stationery needed to attend the local Zilla Parishad school. The school was always a priority for my parents.'

Nearly Became A Doctor

Vijay Amruta was born in a village that was prone to droughts and had a low level of development. When villagers suffered from medical problems, receiving proper aid was also difficult.

Seeing the difficulties of the villagers, Vijay Amruta decided to become a doctor. He was a bright student and did well in school, so he had no trouble clearing the MBBS exam. However, due to his family's financial situation, he abandoned this dream of his.

‘We were still living in poverty, and I needed to start working as soon as possible. I couldn't afford the 7-8 years to pursue a career in medicine. My parents were concerned about my younger sister's marriage, as was common at that time. Moreover, we would have had to take out a large loan for the studies. Any failure would have meant disaster for the family,’ says Vijay in an interview.

A Lot Of Failures Precede A Successful Outcome

After abandoning his dream of becoming a doctor, Vijay chose to pursue his diploma in education and started working as a primary school teacher at a government school near his village. He began supporting his parents with his steady salary and also completed his graduation via distance learning.

You can identify me😅Standing with my students. It’s trip to Konjai Hill nearby the Dattawadi School, where I was working as a primary teacher. We use to go for trip in month of Shravan. Just was going with old album. pic.twitter.com/YvgyQuh5Ju
— Vijay IAS (@Vijaykulange) August 13, 2021

Vijay was able to support his family while working as a school teacher, but he always felt he could have done more. Vijay's parents sensed this thought of his and encouraged him to study harder and prepare for the Maharashtra State Civil Service Examination, MPSC.

Vijay Amruta began his exam preparation, but covering the extensive syllabus proved difficult. He studied all hours of the day and night for the exam, but he failed to crack the exam both times.

He was disappointed but his parents never let his spirits down, they always encouraged and supported him. With his parents' support, Vijay Amruta decided to quit his job and devote everything to his final attempt. He eventually passed the MPSC exam and got a job in Ahmadnagar as a sales tax inspector.

Journey To IAS

While working as a tax inspector, Vijay Amruta met IAS Sanjeev Kumar, who was then a district Collector. IAS Sanjeev Kumar was the one who encouraged Vijay Amruta to take the UPSC Exam.

Vijay Amruta followed his advice and began studying for the UPSC. He decided not to take coaching because he was still working and began preparing on his own. He studied after work, and because he struggled with English, he decided to take his exam in Marathi. Studying for the exam in Marathi was a challenge in itself, as there was very little study material in the language. And, as the saying goes, hard work never fails; Vijay Amruta passed the UPSC exam in his first attempt and went on to become IAS Vijay Amruta.

An Inspiration For All UPSC Aspirants

IAS Vijay Amruta's life is as inspiring as it gets. From a difficult childhood to becoming an IAS, he has demonstrated that hard work and perseverance never fail anyone. After becoming an IAS, he wrote a book in Marathi called 'Aajcha Diwas Maza,' which described his journey and his parents' struggles. He is currently living in Odisha with his parents and actively working and fulfilling his duties as an IAS.

Today is great moment for me. Hon CM, Odisha Released my Autobiography “Aaji Ra Din Mor” (translated from Marathi into Odiya). Thx to Hon CM. I enjoyed my journey till today & will try for best in future @Naveen_Odisha. https://t.co/uf8NRkC3Df pic.twitter.com/KySf3WMgrR
— Vijay IAS (@Vijaykulange) July 6, 2021