Second rank holder in UPSC exams says she wants to serve the people of her country as an IAS officer

A corporate employee for close to a decade, it was 31-year-old Anu Kumari’s yearning for “a sense of contentment in life” that paved the way for her to crack the toughest competitive exam in the country in her second attempt.

The second rank holder and the topper among women candidates in the civil services examination this year, Ms. Kumar has been named the brand ambassador for the ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ programme in her home district Sonipat by the Haryana government. “Ms. Kumari has emerged as an inspiration in changing the mindset of people towards the girl child,” said Haryana’s Urban Local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain.

Mother of a four-year-old son, Ms. Kumar graduated from DU’s Hindu College in 2006. She said she wants to be a part of the IAS so that she can “remain in the country and serve the people”.

“I worked in the corporate sector for nine years but somehow the sense of contentment was always lacking. I kept feeling as if there was no meaning to life. Finally, after much persuasion from my family, I decided to take the plunge in 2016. I quit my job in June 2016 and appeared for the exam in August that year. 2017 was my first proper attempt (in civil services exam),” Ms. Kumari told The Hindu in a telephonic conversation.

About her family she said the sheer difficulty of staying away from a supportive husband and two-and-a-half-year-old son pushed her to prepare harder. “For over a year I stayed in Sonipat at my aunt’s place. All this while I was away from my child. Even though it was difficult, he was the reason I felt motivated,” she said. On Saturday, it appeared as if Ms. Kumari had managed to do precisely that much before undergoing training as a bureaucrat with the Haryana government announcing that she would be the state’s brand ambassador for the ‘Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao’ programme in Sonipat.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, while congratulating Ms. Kumari, said, “That by drawing inspiration from her, our daughters would continue to work hard to show their capabilities.” Mr. Khattar also congratulated all other candidates from the state for having cracked the prestigious civil services examinations this year.

Urban Local Bodies Minister Kavita Jain said the significant achievement of Ms. Kumari had given “a befitting reply” to such people as have killed their daughters in the womb. “She (Ms. Kumari) emerged as an inspiration in changing the mindset of people towards the girl child,” said Ms. Jain.

Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, while congratulating Ms. Kumari said, “that by drawing inspiration from her, our daughters would continue to work hard to show their capabilities.” Mr. Khattar also congratulated all other candidates from the state for having cracked the prestigious civil services examinations this year.

(With inputs from

Vikas Vasudeva)