THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ardra Asok was keen on winning a “bumper” when the civil service examination results were announced. But she had to be content with the 681st rank.
Ardra’s mother, Geetha Devi, operates the Dhanam Lucky Centre at Kaniyapuram, which has been fortunate enough to win several bumper lotteries conducted by the state government in recent years.
At 27 years old, Ardra is determined to improve her ranking and aims to win a “bumper” in the next UPSC civil service examination. Her inspiration stems from her father, S Asok Kumar, who worked as a driver for bureaucrats in the Public Relations Department. This exposure to the administrative field ignited Ardra’s aspiration to become a civil servant.
Despite receiving a campus placement after completing her BTech in Electronics and Communication, Ardra remained focused on pursuing a career in civil service. She enrolled at Fortune IAS Academy in Kowdiar and, after her fourth attempt, achieved success.
Ardra reflected on her journey, saying, “During my first three attempts, I was unable to clear the preliminary exam. This time, I worked extremely hard and managed to secure the 681st rank. My goal is to further improve my rank and hopefully win a bumper lottery next time.” Since retiring from the PRD in 2019, Asok has been assisting his wife’s lottery business.