The journey to the UPSC Indian Forest Service (IFS) examination is often described as a solitary pursuit. Aspirants spend years studying alone, facing repeated failures, and carrying the weight of expectations on their shoulders. Yet sometimes, success emerges not just from individual effort but also from collaboration, trust, and shared purpose.
The story of Deekshith N and Sanjay Bagali is one such example.
Coming from opposite ends of Karnataka, one from the north and the other from the south, the two aspirants followed different paths before finding themselves working toward the same goal. Their friendship, built on mutual respect and a common dream, eventually culminated in both securing ranks in the UPSC IFS 2025 examination. Deekshith N secured All India Rank 14, while Sanjay Bagali secured Rank 114.
Their achievement is not merely a story of clearing a prestigious examination. It is a story of learning from failures, supporting one another during difficult phases, and proving that healthy collaboration can coexist with competition.
Sanjay Bagali’s Long Road to Success
Sanjay Bagali comes from Lokapur, a small town in Mudhol Taluk of Karnataka’s Bagalkote district. After completing his schooling in nearby Jamakhandi, he pursued a BSc in Agriculture from the College of Agriculture, Vijayapura, under the University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Dharwad.
His academic journey later took him to Raipur in Chhattisgarh, where he completed his MSc in Agriculture. Alongside his studies, he began preparing for the UPSC examination.
The early years were challenging.
Without any strong foundation coaching and with the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanjay struggled to gain momentum. He failed to clear the preliminary examination three times.
A breakthrough came in 2023 when he cleared both the Civil Services Examination (CSE) and IFS prelims. However, success remained elusive as he could not clear the mains stage of either examination.
The setback was difficult.
“I felt low after not clearing the mains despite clearing the prelims. But failures are a part of this journey. Learning from mistakes and overcoming them makes the path clearer for future attempts,” Sanjay Bagali told Indian Masterminds.
The following year brought another disappointment when he could not clear the prelims, largely due to CSAT. During this period, he also appeared for other competitive examinations, including NABARD and KPSC, but the results did not go in his favour.
Instead of giving up, he returned with a stronger strategy and better preparation. In 2025, he once again cleared both CSE and IFS prelims, marking his third successful IFS prelims qualification.
His efforts finally translated into a place in the IFS final list.
“When the result came, I felt very relaxed and satisfied. Years of hard work really give fruit at the end,” he says.
Deekshith N’s Determined Climb
Deekshith N’s journey began in Kolihalli, a village in the Tumakuru district of southern Karnataka.
After completing his schooling around Bengaluru, he pursued a BSc in Forestry from the College of Forestry, Sirsi, also under UAS, Dharwad.
He started preparing for UPSC in 2021.
The first few years were marked by repeated disappointments. He failed to clear the prelims three times. In 2024, he finally reached the mains stage but could not make it further. He also appeared for KPSC mains but was unsuccessful there as well.
Like many aspirants, he found himself repeatedly starting over.
Yet he remained focused.
“If one is consistent, disciplined, and confident in what they do, initial failures do not matter,” Deekshith N told Indian Masterminds.
His persistence paid off in 2025 when he not only cleared the examination but secured an outstanding All India Rank 14.
“To be frank, I was not expecting such a rank. I was just hoping to see my name in the final list. When I saw the rank, I became a little emotional because I was alone in my room,” he recalls.
A Friendship That Changed the Journey
The turning point in both their stories came when they met during a prelims test series at an IAS academy in Bangalore.
The connection was immediate.
Both belonged to UAS Dharwad. Sanjay was the senior, while Deekshith was his junior. As they interacted more, they discovered similar academic backgrounds and shared aspirations.
After clearing the IFS prelims, they began preparing seriously for the mains examination.
Their optional subjects also complemented each other. Deekshith’s forestry background gave him an advantage in forestry optional, while Sanjay brought valuable experience from having previously written the IFS mains examination.
Together, they developed strategies, shared notes, discussed weaknesses, and reviewed each other’s preparation.
“We discussed preparation strategies regularly and helped each other understand how to tackle the examination. We shared our strong areas and motivated each other throughout the process,” says Sanjay.
Deekshith echoes the same sentiment.
“A good friend can act as a mentor, a moral support provider and an overall guide. More importantly, we strategised our preparation together, worked on it together and achieved it together,” he says.
The partnership continued through the interview stage.
The two travelled to Delhi, prepared detailed questionnaires based on each other’s Detailed Application Forms (DAFs), conducted mock interview discussions, analysed weaknesses, and refined their responses.
In a remarkable coincidence, both appeared before the same interview board, on the same day, in the same shift.
Months later, both found their names in the final list.
The Power of Healthy Competition
In an examination environment often associated with intense competition, both candidates strongly advocate collaboration over comparison.
“Competition is real in these exams, but healthy competition should be appreciated instead of jealousy. Collaboration works wonders when we feel low and helps us understand the examination better,” says Sanjay.
He believes that having the right support system can significantly improve an aspirant’s chances of success.
“My parents and elder brother supported me financially and emotionally. Friends also played an equal role. They motivate, guide, criticise and praise without bias.“
He particularly credits his friend Sampat and Deekshith for helping him navigate crucial stages of preparation.
Deekshith believes trust is the foundation of any successful partnership.
“A competitive mindset should not exist when we are collaborating with someone. It is a matter of trust. When we help each other sincerely, it is possible for everyone to succeed.”
He adds that aspirants should remain open to learning from others.
“There is something to learn from everybody. We should be open to suggestions, criticism, and praise. Sometimes the difference in rankings is not because of knowledge; luck also plays a role.”
One Goal, Two Success Stories
Despite coming from different regions and different backgrounds, both aspirants found common ground in their approach to preparation.
“Although we come from two different parts of Karnataka, sharing things with an open mind helped us. As future officers, understanding diversity and accommodating different cultures is important,” says Sanjay.
For Deekshith, the partnership came down to timing and mutual learning.
“The only thing common between us initially was that we belonged to the same university. I just met the right person at the right time. Learning from both our experiences and failures helped us reach the final list.”
Their story serves as a reminder that while competitive examinations demand individual effort, success does not always have to be a lonely pursuit.
Sometimes, the journey becomes easier when two people decide to walk towards the same destination together.
And in the case of Deekshith N and Sanjay Bagali, that shared journey ended with both of them finding their place in the UPSC IFS 2025 final list.
