LUCKNOW: Shakti Dubey, a Biochemistry post-graduate from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has emerged as the All-India topper of UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)-2024.
Shakti Dubey hails from Ballia district of eastern Uttar Pradesh and her family is settled in the Mamabhanja Talab area in Naini area in Prayagraj.
After completing her graduation from Allahabad University, Shakti went on to pursue her post-graduation from BHU. She took up teaching for a brief period.
Shakti’s transition from teaching to civil services was an arduous journey complemented with a dedicated preparation of seven years to finally clinch the top honours. Political science and international relations was her optional subject.
Besides Dubey, Uttar Pradesh has a fair share of successful candidates in UPSC-2024.
A few interesting and heart-touching stories have emanated from the list of successful candidates, including that of two SDMs -- Saumya Mishra of Unnao and Hemant Mishra of Ara, Bihar -- currently posted in Mirzapur.
They have made it to the list, securing 18th and 13th ranks, respectively.
Saumya Mishra cleared the examination in the second attempt. Hailing from Ajaipur village of Purwa Tehsil in Unnao district, Sumay’s father, Raghvendra Mishra, is a professor in a Delhi college.
Saumya’s family, comprising her parents and two siblings, is based in Bhajanpura locality of Delhi. She cleared the prestigious examination with Geography as her subject.
Mirzapur’s second SDM, Hemant Mishra, belongs to the Ara district in Bihar.
After completing his schooling from Buxar and Patna, Hemant went to Delhi to do his graduation from Jamia Millia Islamia University and post-graduation from JNU.
Currently, Hemant is also pursuing Ph.D. from Jamia Millia Islamia University. He is the son of academician parents, with his father being an Education Officer and his mother, a teacher in a private school in Ara.
Notably, Iqbal Ahmad, son of a bicycle repair shop owner, has secured 998th rank of the total 1006 successful candidates. Iqbal belongs to Sant Kabir Nagar.
Komal Punia of Saharanpur has secured all-India sixth position in her second attempt, and Mayank Tripathi of Kannauj has got 10th rank in the overall list of successful candidates.
However, the cynosure of the day had been Shakti Dubey who brought laurels to Prayagraj, once known for a prominent centre of academic excellence.
After completing Class 12th from St Mary’s Convent School, Ghoorpur in 2012, Dubey enrolled for BSc at AU (2013-14) batch with her twin sister Pragati as her classmate. Shakthi topped the PG course in 2018.
Shakthi Dubey is the daughter of Devendra Dubey, the sub-inspector, posted in Prayagraj Commissionerate.
Shakti and her elder sister Pragati had been academically outstanding right from their childhood, says mother Prema Dubey.
“Shakti has done it. It is all because of the blessing of ‘Bhole Nath’ (Lord Shiva) and the hard work of my daughter that she topped the most prestigious exam in the country. We all are very happy and indebted to Lord Shiva,” says the proud mother with a glint of happiness amalgamated with tears of joy in her eyes.
“She used to study day and night while taking out time for household work as well. She is very laborious, and it is her hard work that has paid off,” adds Prema Dubey.
“Though we had initially sent Shakti to Delhi for coaching, the COVID-19 pandemic forced her to return home. She continued her preparations on her own," says her father Devendra Dubey.
Besides, Shubham Mishra, Anurag Ranjan, Disha Dwivedi and Gaurav Patel, all from Sultanpur, Tanya Gupta from Auraiyya, Amit Yadav of Ambedkarnagar, Tushar Singh of Bulandshahr, Prateek Mishra of Prayagraj, Akash Nigam of Lucknow, Priyanshu Mishra of Mau, Damanpreet Arora, DPRO, Bijnore, Shivam Singh of Rae Bareli, Ankur Tripathi of Amethi, Kalpana Rawat of Pilibhit, Abhi Jain also of Prayagraj, are some of the names figuring in the list of successful candidates from Uttar Pradesh.