In the quiet tribal region of Eturunagaram in Mulugu district, Dainampelly Praveen grew up in circumstances where dreams often fade before they even begin.
Today, he holds All India Rank 793 in the 2025 Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. But the road to that moment was marked by loss, sacrifice, and a family that held onto education like a lifeline.
Praveen lost both his parents at a very young age. The responsibility of raising him and his two younger siblings fell on the shoulders of his grandmother, a sanitation worker in the village panchayat office.
Her income was small. Her life was full of struggle. But she carried one stubborn belief: her grandchildren would study.
With a modest pension and whatever money she could manage, she would send ₹1,000, sometimes ₹2,000 or ₹3,000 every month to the children who were studying away from the village.
More importantly, she gave them one instruction that shaped Praveen’s life.
“Don’t come back to the village. Stay in the city and study. I will manage here with whatever I have.”
That one sentence carried more strength than any financial support.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Praveen disclosed details about his family, life, journey, and how he cracked UPSC.
THE MOTHER WHO PLANTED THE DREAM
Even before his grandmother stepped in as the pillar of the family, Praveen’s mother had quietly planted a dream in his heart. Every night before sleeping, she would talk to him about life and education.
She knew the fragile line that separated education from poverty.
“She used to tell me that if we stopped studying, we might end up as drivers or daily wage labourers,” Praveen recalls.
Despite the family’s limited income, she would save ₹500 or ₹1,000 every month, putting some money in the post office and some with acquaintances.
The purpose was simple: if the children ever had to move to a city to study, the money would help them survive. Her words stayed with him even after she was gone.
“Her voice stayed in my mind. I felt I had to continue my education because that was the only way to move forward in life.”
THE IAS OFFICER WHO CHANGED HIS LIFE, BEFORE HE WAS BORN
The turning point in Praveen’s life came during his intermediate studies. That was when he learned about S. R. Sankaran, a 1967-batch IAS officer.
Sankaran had laid the foundations of social welfare residential institutions in East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. He also played a crucial role in implementing the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976.
For Praveen, this was not just a story from a textbook. His father had once been a bonded labourer. The law that officers like Sankaran worked to implement had freed his father from that system.
“That officer influenced my life even before I was born,” Praveen says quietly.
Because of those reforms, Praveen was able to study in social welfare residential institutions and city hostels. Without those institutions, he believes his life might have taken a completely different direction.
“If those institutions were not there, I might have ended up as a child labourer in my area,” he told Indian Masterminds.
That realization planted a thought that never left him: if one civil servant could change so many lives, perhaps he could too.
FIVE YEARS OF PREPARATION WITHOUT A JOB
After completing his graduation, Praveen moved to Hyderabad. There, he made a decision that would test both his patience and courage.
For five years, he focused entirely on preparation. No job. No steady income. Just studies.
The emotional support from his grandmother made this possible.
“If she had asked me every day to send money home, it would have created psychological pressure,” he says.
“But she never did.”
THE GOVERNMENT STUDY CIRCLE THAT OPENED THE DOOR
Praveen’s preparation was shaped by a lesser-known but powerful institution: the Telangana SC Study Circle. The centre provides free coaching, accommodation, and mentoring to aspirants from SC, ST, and OBC communities.
Since the late 1980s, it has helped produce around 450 civil servants. For Praveen, it became a second home. The mentorship he received there changed the direction of his preparation.
Guidance from Mr. Narasimha Reddy helped him refine his approach to the exam. For interview preparation, he was mentored by Mr. Mahesh Bhagwat, former Director General of Police of Telangana.
The result was remarkable.
Praveen scored 200 out of 275 in the interview, one of the highest scores in his category. Another senior officer, Shridhar Reddy, also helped him prepare.
It was a network of mentors who believed in him long before the final result arrived.
THREE INTERVIEWS BEFORE SUCCESS
Praveen’s UPSC journey was not quick. He appeared in three personality tests before finally securing success in the 2025 Civil Services Examination.
Along the way, he had already achieved another milestone: clearing the Telangana Group-1 examination, where he was selected as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).
His optional subject for the UPSC exam was Sociology.
FRIENDS, LAUGHTER AND VIPASSANA
Long years of preparation can often feel isolating. For Praveen, two things helped him stay balanced.
The first was his circle of friends.
“When you have good friends, they make even your problems lighter,” he says.
Whenever things felt overwhelming, conversations with friends helped him regain perspective.
The second influence was the philosophy of Vipassana meditation.
“I don’t practice it regularly, but it teaches an important idea,” he explains.
“If something is in your control, work on it. If it is not in your control, don’t keep worrying about it,” he told Indian Masterminds.
That thought stayed with him during difficult phases.
A MESSAGE FOR ASPIRANTS FROM POOR BACKGROUNDS
Today, as someone who has walked through poverty, loss, and years of uncertainty, Praveen speaks directly to students who feel the system is beyond their reach.
His advice is simple.
“If you have a big ambition, don’t worry about money or lack of support. Government institutions and mentors are there. Believe in them and use those opportunities.”
He also repeats a sentence that one of his friends told him during graduation, a line that stayed with him throughout his preparation.
“Hard work always beats talent. If you stay consistent, you can clear this exam.”
A STORY BIGGER THAN ONE RANK
For many people, AIR 793 may just be a number in a long list of successful candidates.
But behind that number is a grandmother who chose sacrifice over comfort, a mother who saved tiny amounts for her children’s future, and a young man who refused to let circumstances decide his life.
It is also a reminder that institutions like the Telangana SC Study Circle quietly transform lives every year, far from headlines and television studios.
And somewhere in Eturunagaram, a grandmother who once swept village streets can now say that her grandson has entered India’s civil services.
