https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Cambridge Scholar Pranita Dash Bid London Goodbye to Serve Her Nation

Indian Masterminds Stories

Growing up in a small town of Odisha called Baripada, Ms. Pranita Das had always been empathetic towards people with lower income. She used to urge her parents and family members to give money to domestic helps and guards. During one such instance, when she was insisting that her uncle give money to someone, he told her that if she really wants to help them, then she should become a civil servant. This stayed on her mind and she made UPSC her goal. 

Even though life took her to London, she came back to India to fulfill her dream, and cracked UPSC CSE 2022 with an impressive AIR 42. 

TWO WORLDS

Ms. Das did her schooling from Baripada which is part of the Mayurbhanj district, which has a significant tribal population, 5th and then moved to Bhubaneswar. This transition helped her to see the stark inequality in our society. Speaking to Indian Mastermindsshe said, “It was the first time I really saw how two places can be totally different. While people were struggling for basic amenities in my town, the lifestyle in Bhubaneswar was fairly comfortable.” 

This made her resolve to join civil services even firmer. After finishing 12th from Bhubaneswar and graduating in Economic from St. Xavier’s Kolkata, the time came for her to decide between preparing for UPSC CSE or go for Master’s. Around the same time, she got a scholarship for Master’s in Economics from the University of London. She went, and at that very time, Covid hit and the world came to a standstill. This gave her ample time to start her UPSC preparation. 

STARTED TO DOUBT HERSELF 

She gave her first attempt in 2020. She was not prepared fully, so couldn’t clear Prelims. In 2021, she missed the Prelims by just two marks. These failures made her doubt herself, but her family kept motivating her and boosting her confidence. 

However, she was now unsure about a career in civil services. So, as a backup, she applied for M.Phil in Cambridge University, and got in. “My goal was to be part of policy making. Other than civil services, academia can also provide such an opportunity. Besides that, I like research, so I opted for it,” she said.

Before going to Cambridge, she had given her 2022 CSE attempt, and this time, she cracked both the Prelims and Mains. After giving the Mains, she had to immediately leave for Cambridge. It was here that she prepared for the interview while, at the same time, continuing with her studies. About juggling both, she said, “I devoted fixed time to both. The morning was for M.Phil and evening was for CSE. I tried to stick to that routine. This helped, and I believe anyone in such a situation can get through with a proper routine,” she said.

CRACKING ANSWER WRITING CODE 

After Prelims, most aspirants struggle with answer writing. Too much knowledge won’t work if it’s not executed on paper properly. To tackle that issue, she advised, “First thing that one should remember is, don’t go deep into any topic. Have basic understanding and facts. And, always support your answer with examples and graphs.” She said that it didn’t come to her naturally. Only after going through the process, she learned. 

IT’S OK TO FAIL 

She further said that each one has their own journey and should focus on that. Others can only provide guidance. She wants everybody to get used to the idea that it’s okay to fail. If one is passionate about civil services, they should learn from failures also, and put in the hard work. Even after that, if they don’t make it, then civil services is not the only way to serve the society, she said. “There are too many options and opportunities, using which, you can be an asset for our society and the country.”


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Bombay High Court
Decentralising Justice: Bombay High Court Bench Set to Start Functioning in Kolhapur from August 18
Ministry of Coal
Coal Power Trio: CIL, NLCIL & SCCL Achieve 114% of Q1 Capex Target, Signalling Aggressive Growth
Indian Forest Services IFS officer
Uttarakhand Forest Department Set for Major IFS Reshuffle Post Election Code Lift - Details Inside
UPPSC_UPPCS_resized
UPPSC BEO Recruitment 2025: Rules Amended, Legal Hurdles Cleared for 134 Vacancies - Details Inside
Former CJI DY Chandrachud
Former CJI D.Y. Chandrachud Vacates Official Bungalow, Shifts to Teen Murti Marg
Dr Mayank Sharma
Seasoned IDAS Officer Dr. Mayank Sharma Assumes Role of Financial Advisor to the Defence Services
Raj Kumar Arora
Defence Finance Leadership Strengthened: IDAS Officer Raj Kumar Arora Takes Charge as Controller General of Defence Accounts
IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma
Real-Life Hero Honoured Onscreen: IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma Applauds ‘12th Fail’ After National Award Triumph
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
Bombay High Court
Decentralising Justice: Bombay High Court Bench Set to Start Functioning in Kolhapur from August 18
Ministry of Coal
Coal Power Trio: CIL, NLCIL & SCCL Achieve 114% of Q1 Capex Target, Signalling Aggressive Growth
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IAS Karn Satyarthi
Ananth Rupanagudi IRAS
WhatsApp Image 2025-07-26 at 13.16
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT