https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Then a Waiter, Now an IAS Officer

IAS officer, Mr. K Jayaganesh waited tables at a restaurant to earn livelihood and failed six times before he cleared UPSC. His diligence, and ultimate success, is the stuff motivational stories are made of.
Indian Masterminds Stories

The saying ‘try and try until you succeed’ has been proved right by IAS officer, Mr. K Jayaganesh. Failing over and over again in UPSC exams never stopped him even if he had to work odd jobs for it.

WAITED TABLES PRIOR TO BECOMING AN IAS

Getting into Indian Administrative Service was a dream for Mr. Jayaganesh. Hailing from a very poor family in Tamil Nadu, he academically excelled in engineering but due to lack of guidance, knowledge, and jobs, he couldn’t acquire a proper livelihood that could support his dreams. In order to make ends meet, he even waited tables at a restaurant, which provided him with just enough money to quench his hunger.

Mr. Jayaganesh, being the eldest sibling, had the responsibility of looking after the family. But his father totally supported him in all his undertakings. He was always good in studies and wished to acquire a job as soon as possible, so he could assist his father in running the family. After finishing with his class 10 th , he joined a polytechnic college and scored good marks which enabled him to take admission in a government engineering college, where he studied mechanical engineering.

Before becoming a civil servant, Mr. Jayaganesh had to wait tables

HIS FATHER WAS HIS BACKBONE

It was because of his father that Mr. Jayaganesh could reach pinnacles of success. His father believed in him during all walks of life and knew that his son had the potential to achieve something big.

Whatever little amount the older man earned, he used to hand it over to Mr. Jayaganesh, to enable him to buy study material with it. All he ever wanted was to see his son accomplish his dreams and grow to be the man that he always wished he was.

GETTING INTO CIVIL SERVICES

After completing his engineering, Mr. Jayaganesh left for Bangalore to earn a proper livelihood where he landed with a job that paid his Rs. 2500. It was there that he realized the suffering of his people and folks living under poverty. He thought of the miserable conditions that the people of his village were living in. They were poor and he wanted to do something for them. He made up his mind then and there to get to such a post that will enable him to drive their sorrows away.

“It was in Bengaluru that I started thinking about my village and my friends. I wondered sadly why none of them studied and worked in good companies. Because they had no education, they always remained poor. There was not enough money to buy even proper food. There was no opportunity there; the only place they could work was the tannery in the nearby town. If they didn’t get work at the tannery, they worked as auto drivers or coolies. In short, there was no one in my village to guide the young generation. Can I help my villagers in any way, I thought?” he said in an interview.

His father supported him at all levels

He immediately resigned from his job and went back to his village to prepare for the difficult UPSC examinations. During his time in Bangalore, he had closely observed and realized the kind of power that civil servants have. Despite all the uncertainties and risks, he made up his mind to clear the exams. This was a decision which his father backed all the way. He even went on to the entire bonus of Rs 6500, that he had earned from a leather factory that he worked in, to his son so that so that would be able to buy all the required study material and acquire all the necessary notes from coaching centers in Chennai.

FAILED ATTEMPTS

Mr. Jayaganesh began giving the examinations but failed to clear even the preliminary exams in his first three attempts. After three failures, he enrolled himself into a state-sponsored IAS coaching in Chennai, which also provided him with free accommodation. But after clearing prelims in his fourth attempt, his free accommodation and food was snatched away due to rules of the coaching center. This forced him to do part time odd jobs simultaneously while preparing for the exam, so he could pay his bills and fill his stomach.

He also received financial assistance from his friends and soon landed a decent job of teaching sociology to UPSC aspirants. It was in his 7 th attempt that he finally cleared all the examinations and aced the interview, as well.

He finally achieved his dream in seventh attempt

In 2008, he finally conquered his longtime dream. “Finally, when the results came, I couldn’t believe myself. I had secured the 156th rank out of more than 700 selected candidates. It’s a top rank, and I am sure to get into the IAS. I felt like I had a won a war that had been going on for many years. I felt free and relieved,” he stated in an interview.

His happiness knew no bounds and he was met with real joy back home. Everyone from his village received him with much love and fanfare. Mr. Jayaganesh’s story is not just a story of grit, self-belief and determination, but also of the aspirational value that IAS holds for many Indians.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
ONGC
IRTS Officer Ranjan Prakash Thakur's Tenure as CVO of ONGC Extended Until 2026
UPSC Image IAS IPS IFS
UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024: Final Results Expected Soon; 1056 Vacancies at Stake - How to Check
tv-somanathan
Is India’s Bureaucracy Future-Ready? Cabinet Secy T.V. Somanathan Calls Reform Inevitable
IAS Officers Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
2 IAS Officers Appointed to New Posts in Bihar, Krishna Kumar Named Joint Secy, Road Construction Dept
UP Government Uttar Pradesh Yogi
33 IAS, Including 11 District Collectors, Transferred in Uttar Pradesh; Satyendra Kumar Appointed as New DM of Varanasi
government-of-haryana
42 IPS & 13 HPS Officers Transferred in Haryana, Sibash Kabiraj Appointed Commissioner of Police, Panchkula
ED _Enforcement_Directorate
Govt Appoints 5 New Special Directors in ED, Fills All Top Posts - Full Details Inside
Civil Services Day 2025 Awards by PM Modi
Civil Services Day 25: 16 IAS Officers Honoured for Excellence in Public Administration - Know More About Them
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
E-Rickshaw Chaos, Waterlogging, Traffic Mess — Can Noida Fix Its Daily Chaos? | Exclusive with Dr Lokesh M, IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
This Collector Finds Happiness In Squeaks Of Children With Hearing Impairment Who Start Hearing After Surgery
UPSC Stories
images (14)
Utsav Anand, the UPSC Topper Who Chose Public Service Over a Plush Career
From IIT Bombay to the 2022 IAS batch (Haryana cadre), Utsav Anand’s journey is proof that sharp minds...
pushplata-yadav-ias
How IAS Pushp Lata’s Strategy and Spirit Took Her to AIR 80
From rural Haryana to IAS, Pushp Lata Yadav’s journey reflects focused planning, adaptation, and the...
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
IRS Padmapani Bora’s 16-Year-Long Journey in Governance
IRS officer Padmapani Bora's 16-year career transcends typical bureaucracy. Discover his surprising journey...
Social Media
GozJlgrXYAAHoKv
Murals for Cleanliness: Thoothukudi District Launches Art-Inspired Sanitation Drive in Panchayats
Local artists add colour and messages to village walls, promoting hygiene and community pride
Himanshu Nagpal IAS
Varanasi's Beggar Rehabilitation Initiative Recognised by UIDAI, CDO Himanshu Nagpal Shares the News
Mr. Himanshu Nagpal is a 2019-batch IAS officer
IAS Vaishali Chopra
Young IAS Vaishali Chopra Takes a Stand Against Caste Bias During Field Training in Uttar Pradesh
While the issue itself may seem small, the post is resonating widely online for its honest reflection...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
ONGC
IRTS Officer Ranjan Prakash Thakur's Tenure as CVO of ONGC Extended Until 2026
UPSC Image IAS IPS IFS
UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024: Final Results Expected Soon; 1056 Vacancies at Stake - How to Check
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr Lokesh M IAS
IRS Padmapani Bora UPSC
WhatsApp Image 2025-04-13 at 1.46
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT