In the quiet village of Alladapet, tucked away in Julumuru mandal of Srikakulam district, dreams usually grew around harvests and fields. But for Banna Venkatesh, something bigger was taking root. Born to agriculturist parents, Chandra Rao and Rohini, Venkatesh grew up amidst the challenges and rhythms of rural life. Watching his parents toil in the fields gave him not only a deep respect for hard work but also a longing — a longing to make life better for people like his own family.
Fast forward to 2025, and Venkatesh’s name is flashing across newspapers and TV screens across the country — the boy from a small farming village has secured All India Rank 15 in one of India’s most challenging exams, the UPSC Civil Services Examination.
STRONG ROOTS, STRONGER WINGS
Venkatesh’s early education happened right in his hometown, at Keshav Reddy School in Srikakulam. A bright student from the start, he moved on to Sri Chaitanya Junior College, where he scored an impressive 98.4% in his intermediate exams in 2015.
But numbers on a report card were never his only achievement. Venkatesh’s thirst for knowledge and love for challenges led him to NIT Trichy, one of the top engineering colleges in India, where he pursued a BTech in Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE).
While many students were content juggling academics, Venkatesh also made time to represent the college cricket team — balancing sports, studies, and ambition effortlessly. He graduated in 2019 with an outstanding CGPA of 9.49.
ENGINEERING SUCCESS, YET AN EMPTY SPACE
After a summer internship at IIT Hyderabad, where he explored the use of Machine Learning in astronomy, Venkatesh took up a coveted job at Qualcomm, Chennai. He worked first as an Associate Engineer and later as a full-time Engineer in the VLSI domain.
A promising career in the tech industry was taking shape, yet a quiet dissatisfaction gnawed at him. He often thought back to his childhood — the struggles he had seen, the villages that still lacked basic facilities, the voices that went unheard. Sitting in a comfortable office chair, he realized he wanted more — not just for himself, but for the countless faces he had grown up seeing.
In August 2021, he made a choice many would hesitate to make. He resigned from his high-paying job to chase a dream that offered no guarantees — the dream of becoming a civil servant.
TURNING ASPIRATIONS INTO ACTION
Armed with hope, Geography as his optional subject, and a fiercely disciplined routine, Venkatesh began his UPSC journey. In his very first attempt in 2023, he cracked the exam and secured an impressive All India Rank of 467, leading to his selection into the Indian Police Service.
For many, this would have been enough. A white-uniformed career, a powerful badge — dreams materialized. But for Venkatesh, there was still one milestone left — the Indian Administrative Service. He believed that as an IAS officer, he could work even closer with communities, shaping policies and bringing real change to the lives of those who needed it most.
CHASING THE HIGHER CALLING
Preparing for UPSC while serving as an IPS officer is no easy task. Official duties, unpredictable hours, and immense responsibilities could have easily worn him down. But Venkatesh stayed focused.
He dedicated six intense months exclusively to polishing one of the most crucial skills for UPSC success — answer writing. He took regular mock tests, sought feedback, and most importantly, kept revising and improving. Every spare moment outside his IPS duties went into preparation.
His strategy was simple — practice until perfect, revise until effortless. He knew that it wasn’t just about hard work; it was about smart work — focusing on the right areas, at the right time, with the right attitude.
In 2024, his efforts paid off. His name was announced alongside the highest achievers of the country. Venkatesh had secured All India Rank 15 in UPSC CSE 2024.
FAMILY’S PRIDE, VILLAGE’S JOY
Back home in Alladapet, celebrations broke out. His father Chandra Rao, a proud agriculturist, recalled how he had always believed in Venkatesh’s spark. His mother Rohini, beaming with joy, shared how her son had brought honor not just to their family, but to their entire village, mandal, and the state of Andhra Pradesh.
In a world where dreams often lose their way amidst struggles, Venkatesh’s journey stood tall — a reminder that roots in the soil can also build wings for the sky.
WHY CIVIL SERVICES?
For Venkatesh, civil services were never about power or prestige. It was about service — about reaching the people who lived far away from cities and comforts. Having seen rural hardships first-hand, he wanted to bridge the gap between policies and people, between opportunities and those left behind.
His story is a story of someone who knew where he came from — and never forgot why he started.
From the fields of Srikakulam to the prestigious corridors of Indian bureaucracy, Banna Venkatesh’s story reminds us that no dream is too big, and no village is too small, when passion meets purpose.
