Indian Masterminds presents the fifth installment of its long-running series on UPSC Rank 1 toppers from 1990 onwards—an exploration of individuals who began as aspirants with uncertainty and ambition and went on to occupy influential positions in public service.
This edition focuses on the Civil Services Examination toppers from 2011 to 2015, a cohort that entered governance at a time when India’s administrative landscape was undergoing visible shifts—greater public scrutiny, rapid technological adoption, and rising expectations from citizens.
The five officers featured here—Dr Shena Aggarwal (CSE 2011), Haritha V Kumar, IAS (CSE 2012), Gaurav Agrawal, IAS (CSE 2013), Ira Singhal, IAS (CSE 2014), and Tina Dabi, IAS (CSE 2015)—come from different academic, social, and professional backgrounds. What binds them together is not similarity, but clarity of purpose and the choices they made at critical moments of their lives.
DR SHENA AGGARWAL, IAS
2012 batch | Punjab cadre | UPSC CSE 2011 Rank 1
Dr Shena Aggarwal’s decision to join the civil services came after she had already reached what many would consider the peak of academic success. An MBBS graduate from AIIMS, New Delhi, she chose administration over medicine, driven by a desire to work on systemic issues affecting rural India.
Born and raised in Yamunanagar, Haryana, Shena excelled academically from an early age. She scored 95% in Class 10 and 92% in Class 12 (CBSE) and topped the CBSE Pre-Medical Test in 2004. She later ranked 19th in the AIIMS entrance examination, graduating in 2009. Coming from a family of doctors—both her parents, C K Aggarwal and Pinky Aggarwal, are dentists—academic excellence and professional commitment were constants in her upbringing.
Shena’s UPSC journey was not instant success. In CSE 2010, she secured an All India Rank of 305. During her third attempt, while she was preparing to join training for the Indian Revenue Service in Nagpur, her fortunes changed dramatically—she topped the CSE 2011 with AIR 1 and entered the IAS as a 2012-batch officer of the Punjab cadre.
Her motivation to join the IAS was rooted in improving village-level outcomes, especially in areas she had encountered as a medical student—public health, sanitation, education, and women’s welfare. Drawing from her clinical background, she brought a practical, data-driven approach to administration.
Key areas of work and roles:
- Director, Social Security, Women and Child Development, Punjab
- Current posting: Joint Development Commissioner (JDC) and Commissioner, MGNREGA, Punjab
Shena Aggarwal has consistently emphasised women’s self-reliance, believing that economic and social independence form the foundation of effective governance at the grassroots.
HARITHA V KUMAR, IAS
2013 batch | Kerala cadre | UPSC CSE 2012 Rank 1
When Haritha V Kumar topped the UPSC Civil Services Examination in 2012, she became the first woman from Kerala to achieve this distinction. At 27, and on her fourth attempt, her success followed years of persistence and recalibration.
A native of Neyyattinkara, Kerala, Haritha was born on November 21, 1985, to Vijayakumar, a contractor with the Kerala Water Authority, and Chitra, a homemaker. She grew up in a modest household with her twin brothers. From an early age, the civil services were part of her imagination—encouraged by her father, who often told her she could one day become a district collector.
Her schooling was split between St Theresa’s Convent School and a government school in Neyyattinkara. She later moved to Thiruvananthapuram to pursue a B.Tech in Electronics and Communication from Government Engineering College, Barton Hill. Though she received a job offer from HCL Technologies, Haritha chose UPSC preparation instead.
Her exam journey included setbacks:
- 2009: Cleared prelims, not mains
- Second attempt: AIR 179, selected for IRS
- Third attempt: AIR 294
It was after contemplating quitting that her parents encouraged one final attempt. In 2012, while undergoing IRS probation in Faridabad, she emerged as Rank 1.
Her optional subjects—Economics and Malayalam Literature—played a significant role in shaping her preparation strategy. Beyond academics, Haritha is trained in Carnatic music, Mohiniyattam, and Bharatanatyam, and is an avid Malayalam cinema enthusiast. In 2022, she made her playback singing debut in the Malayalam film Karuna.
Current role:
- Director, Women and Child Development Department, Kerala
Her career reflects a sustained focus on social policy, especially issues affecting women and children.
GAURAV AGRAWAL, IAS
2014 batch | Rajasthan cadre | UPSC CSE 2013 Rank 1
Gaurav Agrawal’s career path stands out for its transitions across India’s most competitive academic and professional spaces. Educated in Jaipur, he cracked IIT-JEE in 2001 and joined IIT Kanpur, where an extended semester due to an academic setback became an early lesson in recovery and discipline.
At 21, he cleared CAT 2005, later completing an MBA in Finance from IIM Lucknow, where he was a gold medallist. His professional journey took him to Citigroup, Hong Kong, where he worked as an investment banker for over three years.
In 2012, he attempted UPSC for the first time and secured AIR 244, joining the IPS. While training at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad, he decided to attempt once more. In CSE 2013, he secured AIR 1 and joined the IAS.
Apart from administration, Gaurav is known for his academic contributions. His book ‘Indian Economy’, first published in 2023, quickly became popular among UPSC aspirants. By 2025, its third edition was released, incorporating updates to reflect changing economic conditions. He wrote the book alongside his official responsibilities, often in short daily writing sessions.
Current posting:
- District Collector, Jodhpur, Rajasthan
His interests span economics, technology, and cricket, and he continues to engage with aspirants through his writing.
IAS IRA SINGHAL, IAS
2015 batch | AGMUT cadre | UPSC CSE 2014 Rank 1
Ira Singhal’s journey to the IAS involved not just examination halls, but courtrooms. Living with scoliosis, a spine-related condition that limits arm movement, she cleared the Civil Services Examination three times—in 2010, 2011, and 2013—and was allotted the Indian Revenue Service each time. However, she was denied posting on the grounds of disability.
Rather than withdrawing, she pursued legal recourse. The courts eventually ruled in her favour, though her posting letter arrived just a day before her CSE 2014 Mains examination. That fourth attempt proved decisive—she topped the exam and joined the IAS.
Before UPSC, Ira worked with Cadbury in Mumbai, often clocking 16–20 hour workdays. The lack of social impact in her corporate role prompted her decision to prepare for civil services. Notably, across all attempts, she never applied for disability reservation.
Her understanding of inclusivity is shaped by personal experience. She often stresses that governance systems lose potential when capable individuals are excluded. Her first actions as an IAS officer reflected this outlook—freeing 340 child and bonded labourers and appointing a transgender person to a full-time government role in Delhi.
Current posting:
- Deputy Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education
She consistently advises aspirants to develop individual strategies rather than replicating toppers’ methods.
TINA DABI, IAS
2016 batch | Rajasthan cadre | UPSC CSE 2015 Rank 1
Born in Bhopal, Tina Dabi moved to Delhi during her school years. She studied at the Convent of Jesus and Mary and opted for humanities in Class 11, deciding early to pursue the civil services. Her mother, Himali Dabi, is an engineer, and her father, Jaswant Dabi, works with the Department of Telecommunications.
At 22, Tina topped CSE 2015, scoring 1063 marks (868 written, 195 interview). She later received the President’s Gold Medal at LBSNAA, awarded to the officer ranked first in the order of merit.
Her personal life has often been under public attention. She married fellow IAS officer Athar Aamir Khan in 2018; the couple divorced in 2021. In 2022, she married Dr Pradeep Gawande, an IAS officer from her cadre.
As District Collector of Barmer, Tina led a community-driven water conservation initiative that earned the district the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari Award at the National Water Awards 2025. Presented by President Droupadi Murmu, the award also brought Rs 2 crore in prize money for the district.
Her administrative work reflects a focus on public participation, resource management, and measurable outcomes.
A SHARED GENERATION, DISTINCT PATHS
Between 2011 and 2015, these five officers entered the IAS with different strengths—medicine, engineering, finance, corporate experience, or social advocacy. Their stories underline that there is no single route to public service. What matters is the willingness to adapt, reassess, and act with intent once inside the system.
Together, they represent a generation of administrators shaped by competition, public accountability, and a rapidly changing India—officers whose careers continue to influence governance well beyond the examination results that first brought them into the spotlight.
