Bureaucracy is a serious business and manning the business as a taxman is even more serious. Indian Revenue Service officer Aadesh Rai doesn’t exactly fit in the stereotype. He loves spreading happiness by tickling the funny bones of people as a stand-up comedian.
The 2012-batch IRS officer started participating in talent shows and other events while he was still in his academy’s training program and brought to the fore his humorous nature. He is an extremely happy-go-lucky person by nature and makes anyone laugh through his acts.
He used to like repartee, cracking jokes and engaging in constructive mocking. His words and talent often amazed the people around him. At that point, he decided to give stand-up comedy a shot and gauge how others would respond to it. He quickly rose to become the comic of the batch.
CAREER IN COMEDY
“I began performing stand-up comedy and posted a few of my videos on YouTube. There is something there for everyone in my acts, but people who trained with me in the academy, may be able to relate to them better,” the officer shared in an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds.
The officer believes had he not been able to crack UPSC and become a civil servant, he would have definitely made his career as a standup comedian.
A WELL-ENDOWED STAGE PRESENCE
Mr. Rai has a strong sense of stage presence and establishes an immediate connection with the audience. Because of his comic timing, he doesn’t need to put much effort into making people laugh. Humour comes naturally to him.
“I strive to not insult even one person with my words and make sure to write comedies with a fair dose of humour. This is the most crucial part of my mission to share joy and laughter,” Mr. Rai says.
A YOUTH EVENT CHAMPION
Mr. Rai may rightfully be referred to as the winner of youth festivals that were held during his college and academy days. He consistently won the highest prize for debates, essays, and creative writing. He participated in all inter-university youth festivals at the time and has a long list of honours and gold medals to his credit.
“I started writing and reading a lot more at this time. I enjoyed writing, and fortunately, others enjoyed my work as well. Many of my articles have been published in popular magazines of the country and I was lucky enough to receive the first prize for essay writing and debate, on the national level,” Mr. Rai shared with Indian Masterminds.
UPSC PREPARATION
The officer sees these minor victories contributing to his biggest victory – becoming a bureaucrat. He was able to shortlist and select the books he would like to learn from using the reward money he obtained from these accolades and prizes. As he continued to receive medals and distinctions, his library of study materials grew, and by the time he graduated, he had ample options to choose from. This greatly aided him in his preparation for the UPSC Civil Service Examination.
