https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Tough-Minded Optimist

DM of Odisha's Ganjam district and a 2013 batch IAS officer Vijay Amrita Kulange has come out of the furnace of struggle. Vijay has written a book on his life and also taken various steps to bring changes in the district.
ias vijay amruta kulange
Indian Masterminds Stories

There are different types of success stories. The best of these show the path of success to other people too. Such is the story of Vijay Amruta Kulange, the District Magistrate of Odisha’s Ganjam district and a 2013 batch IAS officer.
For several years, Mr Kulange’s life remained a challenge, where day after day he faced clouds of despair, roadblocks, battling to save his job.

However, the way young Vijay fought with all these challenges and achieved the position where he is today makes story truly special. He gave the examination of ‘Maharashtra Public Service Commission’ for 5 consecutive times and also passed 3 times. After that, he took on India’s toughest exam, UPSC, and became an IAS, securing 176th rank in the entire country.

IAS Vijay recalled his struggles and success in life and penned it in a book ‘Aajcha Diwas Maza’ (Credit: Social Media)

IAS officer Vijay Kulange himself put these struggles into words and wrote a book in Marathi language titled
‘Aajcha Diwas Majha’ – Today is mine. Every student craving success in life must read this book.
Recently, the Odia version of this book ‘Ajira Dinati Mora’ was released by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who called it “a very inspirational book for the youth’’.

BEGINNING

Mr.Vijay Kulange hails from Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. His father was a tailor in the village and his daily income was only Rs 200. His mother also used to work in the fields on daily wages.

In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr Vijay says, “Like many others, I never dreamed of civil service in the beginning. My dream was to become a doctor, but the financial condition of the family was not such that I could study medicine. My parents used to say that get some job, so that we all get support. After that do whatever you want.”

IAS Vijay had initially aimed to be a doctor but the major hurdle before him was his family’s income. (Credit: Social Media)

Mr Vijay then did his Diploma in Education (D.Ed.) after Intermediate and started working as a teacher in primary school. The financial condition of the family also improved somewhat. Meanwhile in 2002, he got married.

BECOMING AN OFFICER

Mr. Vijay prepared himself for UPSC without any coaching and gave the exam in marathi.“I failed in my first 2 attempts of Maharashtra Public Service Commission. After passing the written examination, I reached the interview round, but was left there by some number. In my third attempt, I cleared the exam and got the post of Sale Tax Inspector. In my fourth attempt, I got the post of Tehsildar. And in my fifth consecutive attempt, I got the second rank in the whole of Maharashtra”, said Mr. Vijay

At the time of his fifth attempt, he was on the post of Tehsildar in Ahmednagar itself. Seeing his stupendous success in the State Public Service Commission examination, the collector there at that time encouraged Vijay and asked him to go for the UPSC.

Program Interaction: IAS Vijay with beneficiaries

The collector also told him that the syllabus of both the examinations was also very similar. In both exams, aspirants have to take 2 optional subjects, so that will be easy. After getting encouragement from his senior, Vijay also made up his mind for UPSC and started preparing on his own.
He became an IAS, clearing UPSC exam with 176 rank in his very first attempt.

PREPARATION

Mr. Vijay did his preparation in a very smart way without any coaching. Talking about those days he says, “The best way to prepare is to know what the syllabus is and focus on it. Study according to the syllabus, not just keep studying. Solve all previous years’ papers multiple times. Also, make your own small notes as well.’’
Vijay clearly believes that UPSC exam is not just limited to bookish knowledge; it also tests your entire personality and thinking. So, keep improving yourself and think differently about yourself.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
CM mohan yadav
CM Dr. Mohan Yadav to Lay Foundation Stone for Four Industrial Units in Sehore on August 2
Reserve-Bank-of-India_RBI_resized
Two Years After Withdrawal, Rs2,000 Notes Worth Rs6,017 Cr Still with Public: RBI
Maritime India
Sonowal Says India’s Maritime Sector Charts Green Future Under Maritime India Vision 2030
IRCTC
IRCTC Appoints Manoj Kumar Sharma as Director (Catering Services) with Additional Charge- Know More About Him
Ministry of Commerce
Nearly 2 Lakh Startups Registered on BHASKAR Platform Across India, Asserts Commerce Ministry
Union Bank of India UBI
Union Bank of India Elevates Vipan Singh as Chief General Manager Following Superannuation of Chander Mohan Minocha
India Algeria defence cooperation
India-Algeria Defence Seminar Boosts Bilateral Ties and Industrial Cooperation - Details Inside
Rahul Kumar
German Delegation Led by Rahul Kumar to Visit Uttarakhand, Focus on Youth Skill Development and Indo-German Cooperation
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
How IAS Karn Satyarthi Transformed Gumla Through Empathy and Innovation
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
IRAS Ananth Rupanagudi’s Take on Corruption, Reform, and Duty
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
What Most Indians Don't Know About Jim Corbett
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
BPSC Bihar police
From Lantern Light to Police Uniform: How Praveen Kumar from a Small Bihar Village Cracked BPSC to Become SDPO
From a lantern-lit village in Bihar to becoming an SDPO, Praveen Kumar's journey is a testament to resilience,...
IAS Priyansha Garg
Why Mindset Matters: IAS Priyansha Garg’s Mental Health Mantra for UPSC
After two failed prelims, Priyansha Garg cracked UPSC with AIR 31 in her fourth attempt, proving how...
Ashish Akshat
From Setback to State Topper: How Ashish Akshat Topped JPSC While Working Full-Time
Ashish Akshat from Dhanbad topped JPSC 2023, proving that resilience, discipline, and family support...
Social Media
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
Mudumalai Tiger Reserve: From India’s First Sanctuary to a Tiger Conservation Success Story | International Tiger Day Special
IAS Supriya Sahu Hails Mudumalai's Role in Tiger Conservation on Tiger Day. Declared in 1940, Now Among...
Mangroves
Mangroves: Nature’s Shield Against Disasters, Says Officer Parveen Kaswan on Mangroves Day - Watch His Post Here
Mangroves, with their dense, interlaced root systems, form a mesh-like structure that serves as a buffer...
Retired IPS Inderjit Singh Sidhu
Purpose Doesn’t Retire: How 88-Year-Old Retired DIG Becomes Chandigarh’s ‘Quiet Warrior’ of Cleanliness
Inderjit Singh Sidhu’s Dawn Patrol Earns Applause, Mahindra’s Praise for a Man Who Chose Action Over...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
CM mohan yadav
CM Dr. Mohan Yadav to Lay Foundation Stone for Four Industrial Units in Sehore on August 2
Reserve-Bank-of-India_RBI_resized
Two Years After Withdrawal, Rs2,000 Notes Worth Rs6,017 Cr Still with Public: RBI
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT