BENGALURU: 24 candidates from Karnataka have cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services 2021 examination, results of which were announced on Monday. As many as 685 candidates qualified for the exams which took place in January 2022. Of the 24 candidates from Karnataka, Avinash Rao from Davanagere has secured 31st all-India rank. Another candidate Benaka Prasad N J has secured 92nd all-India rank.
The 308th rank holder, Aruna Mahalingappa, turned out to be an inspiration to the children of farmers who face debt crisis due to price crash and other issues. Having lost her father Mahalingappa, who ended his own life over debts when she was studying her second semester of Bachelor of Engineering in Instrumentation Technology branch at Siddaganga Institute of Technology in Tumakuru, she took it as a challenge to crack the UPSC and did it.
Avinash Rao, who is the topper for Karnataka, is the son of hotelier Vittal Rao from Kumbashi in Kundapura taluk of Udupi district. Speaking to TNIE from Bengaluru, Avinash said: “During the last one year, since the completion of my law graduation from the National Law School of India University, I had been preparing for the civil services examination.”
‘Sushma Swaraj my inspiration’
“I am satisfied with the All India Rank 31 which I have secured. Even though I can get Indian Administrative Services, I would like to go for foreign services,” Avinash said. “The commendable work undertaken by former external affairs minister late Sushma Swaraj and the incumbent minister S Jaishankar prompted me to take up civil services that too foreign services and become an Indian Foreign Services officer. Back in 2017-18 I was on an internship at the overseas Indian Affairs department, which motivated me to take up the civil services examination. The way Sushma Swaraj interacted with Indian nationals stuck abroad helped me in setting my target.”
Avinash, who secured 31stall-India rank,has emerged as the topper for Karnakata state