24 October 2026
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

NIT Warangal Graduate Aced UPSC CSE 2021 with AIR 28 in 5th Attempt

Indian Masterminds Stories

With persistence and lots of patience, NIT Warangal graduate Mantri Mourya Bhardwaj cracked UPSC CSE 2021. Coincidentally the 28-year-old secured the 28thrank in the prestigious and one of the toughest exam. 

Mantri Mourya Bharadwaj graduated from NIT Warangal

His childhood dream finally turned into a reality after four failed attempts earlier. This was his 5th attempt and he made it to the top 50 in the coveted list. Let’s take a brief look at his background and his UPSC journey.

CHILDHOOD DREAM

For Mantri Mourya Bhardwaj, who hails from Narsipatnam in Andhra Pradesh’s Anakapalli district, becoming an IAS officer was a childhood dream. So, even after graduating from NIT Warangal as an electrical and communication engineer in 2014 and joining a MNC in Hyderabad, he was not at peace. Talking to media, he had revealed: “Despite the fact that I obtained a job as an engineer, I didn’t really feel fulfilled. Since childhood, I desired to become an IAS officer. So, I decided to pursue my dream and left my join to prepare for CSE. However, after failing to clear the exam in the first three attempts, I took the decision to rejoin the job and keep trying to clear the exam simultaneously.”

UPSC JOURNEY

He joined an internet studying platform called Civils Day to help him in his preparation. He also took advantage of social media platforms like YouTube and Telegram to gather resources.

Bhardwaj secured AIR 28 in UPSC CSE 2021

Speaking about his interview experience, he said: “The interview was not that intimidating for me this time as I had faced it before as well. Also, because I was a working professional, communication was not a problem for me.”

IAS GOALS

Mantri Mourya said that since he was raised in a rural setup, he is more acquainted with the hardships of the people in rural areas. So, he wants to work for the upliftment of such areas so that the people get higher alternatives to improve their situations.

He also said that the pandemic affected the education and wellness sectors a lot and he would like to work for the betterment of these sectors. “My parents are engaged in these two sectors, so I have a larger view of both the sectors. So, as an IAS officer, I would like to give precedence to these two sectors to work on.”

Mantri Mourya’s father Satya Prasad is headmaster in a government school and his mother Radha Kumar is pharmacist in a government hospital. His younger brother Abhishek is a surgeon at AIIMS Jodhpur.

MESSAGE TO ASPIRANTS

His advice to UPSC aspirants is to never shy away from hard work and believe in themselves. Hard work never goes to waste, he says, adding that confidence is very important, too. “Confidence is the largest differentiator in this exam,” he sums up.


Indian Masterminds Stories
Join our WhatsApp Channel
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Madhya Pradesh
MP CM Mohan Yadav Launches ₹2,387 Crore Micro Lift Irrigation Project in Dhar to Benefit 72,000 Farmers 
Madhya Pradesh Railway
Madhya Pradesh Inaugurates Satna–Devendranagar and Rewa–Churhat Rail Lines to Boost Regional Connectivity 
NBCC Amrapali Project
End of ‘Vanvas’: NBCC Begins Possession at Last Stalled Amrapali Project, 51 Families Receive Letters 
BEML Vigilance Walkathon
BEML Leads Vigilance Walkathon in Bengaluru with 500+ Participants to Promote Integrity and Fight Corruption 
Corn Husk Eco-Friendly Utensils
Bihar Engineer Develops Eco-Friendly Cups and Plates from Corn Husks to Replace Single-Use Plastic
Bihar Bank Ranking
Bihar Introduces 100-Point Bank Ranking System; IDFC First Bank Tops List with 74 Points
ITDC Vigilance Awareness Week
ITDC Observes Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 to Promote Integrity and Transparency 
Black Diamond Crusher
WCL CMD Hemant Sharad Pande Inaugurates 800 TPH Black Diamond Crusher at Durgapur OCM
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
How India Plans to Boost Tourism, Create Jobs and Ease Overcrowding : Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on the Road to 2047
Dr Saket Badola IFS
Beyond Tigers and Safaris: How Corbett Literature Festival Wants to Change the Conservation Conversation
PK Jena
Why Technology Cannot Replace Human Connection in Governance: P.K. Jena
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IA&AS Lokesh Datal
‘Dreams Don’t Change Lives, Daily Habits Do’: IA&AS Officer Lokesh Datal on UPSC and Discipline
IA&AS officer Lokesh Datal shares his UPSC journey, clearing the exam in his fourth attempt, building...
Mavis tak
From Dropping Out of School to Becoming an IPS Officer : How a Father’s Unwavering Support Helped Mavis Tak Achieve Success
For Mavis Tak, becoming an IPS officer once seemed like a distant dream. Despite financial struggles...
Bhikan Rojekar UPSC
He missed MBBS by 1 mark in 2016; Maharashtra’s Bhikan Rojekar secures UPSC AIR 812
Bhikan Rojekar secured AIR 812 in UPSC CSE 2025 in his third attempt. Read how the son of a farm labourer...
CSR NEWS
NLC India CSR Dispensary
NLC India Builds ₹1.23 Crore Dispensary in Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram Under CSR Initiative
Inaugurated on October 17, 2026, the new facility at Sri Ramakrishna Math in Keelanagachi aims to strengthen...
MGL CSR initiative
MGL Donates 30-Seater Hydraulic-Lift Bus to NIEPID Davangere Under MGL Saksham CSR Initiative
Inaugurated by MGL Vice President Sanket Dhotre on October 15, 2026, the accessible bus is expected to...
EIL CSR-
Engineers India Distributes Assistive Devices to 55 Divyangjans in Gurugram Under CSR Initiative
EIL’s CSR initiative provides motorised tricycles, hearing aids, wheelchairs and other aids to promote...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Madhya Pradesh
MP CM Mohan Yadav Launches ₹2,387 Crore Micro Lift Irrigation Project in Dhar to Benefit 72,000 Farmers 
Madhya Pradesh Railway
Madhya Pradesh Inaugurates Satna–Devendranagar and Rewa–Churhat Rail Lines to Boost Regional Connectivity 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
Dr Saket Badola IFS
PK Jena
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT