https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

A Tale of One Village, Three Officers, and How They Made a Young Boy’s IAS Dream Come True

The little-known Pimple Khalsa village in the Shirur taluka of Pune district in Maharashtra gave three civil service officers to the country within a span of five years.
Indian Masterminds Stories

The rapid digitalization of the country is proving to be a boon for the students of the remote regions who want to prepare for competitive examinations like UPSC CSE. The story of Pratik Dhumal, who did his primary education in Marathi medium from a village school and fulfilled his dream of entering civil services by clinching AIR 183 in CSE 2020, proves what a blessing the internet has become for the youth of small towns and villages. Pratik, however, was fortunate to have three civil service officers from his village as his guides, too.

CHASING HIS DREAM

After completing his primary education from his village school, Pratik Dhumal moved to big city Pune for his higher education. He did his B.Tech in Computer Science in this metro and joined the multinational IT company Oracle. While working there, he was a little restless, as a childhood dream kept disturbing him. The dream was to join civil services and “bring about a change in the system by striving to keep the social consciousness alive”.

LEAVING ORACLE JOB TO PREPARE FOR UPSC CSE

To pursue his dream, he finally decided to call it quits after serving a year in the company. In 2019, he resigned from his job and started his full-time preparation for civil services. He made the best use of the internet and social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and other online news sources, which helped him gather the relevant information for his preparation. His habit of reading newspapers daily also helped him to keep abreast of the current affairs.

THE THREE MENTORS FROM HIS VILLAGE

Pratik also received guidance for his preparation from IPS officer Mr. Nachiket Shelke, IRS officer Mr. Shridhar Dhumal, and DCP Mr. Ramesh Dhumal. All three officers belong to the same village as him and are posted in Maharashtra. Mr. Shridhar Dhumal had scored AIR 358 in UPSC CSE 2014 and Mr. Nachiket Shelke AIR 167 in UPSC CSE 2018. The three officers, with their past experiences of clearing civil service examinations, mentored Pratik to successfully crack the 2020 CSE exam.

THE POWER OF NET AND PARENTS’ BLESSINGS

Besides the three mentors, his family’s support also helped him to strive hard for success. Both his parents are teachers by profession, so their guidance and encouragement kept him focused and motivated throughout his preparation. Internet also played a big role in his success. In interaction with media, Pratik said, “Internet has reached from the city to village, and as a result, rural-urban discrimination is declining. Internet made things easier for the preparation and helped in gathering important information.”

The young achiever also advised students who are preparing for competitive exams to master their graduation subjects first. “If, unfortunately, you don’t succeed in the exam, you’ve to be prepared for some other career option,” he explained.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
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
Civil Services Day 2025 Awards IAS officers
Civil Services Day 25: Inspired by PM’s Vision - Awarded IAS Officers Share Stories of Grassroots Impact
MTNL
MTNL Defaults on Loans Worth Rs. 8,346 Crore; Total Debt Climbs to Rs. 33,568 Crore
Gujarat-government resized
4 IAS Officers Assigned Additional Charges in Gujarat, Ajay Prakash Given Additional Charge As MD, Uttar Gujarat Vij Company Ltd
Punjab_govt_resized
3 IAS & 9 PCS Officers Transferred in Punjab, Sanyam Aggarwal Given Additional Charge As Special Secy, Health and Family Welfare
DGP OM Praksh with his wife1
Retired Karnataka DGP Om Prakash Murdered; Family Dispute or Mental Illness, What Prompted the Homicide?
LIC resized
Pradip Kusum Joseph Dungdung Takes Charge as LIC's Additional Executive Director (Engineering)
IRCTC
Rabindra Nath Mishra to Continue as Director (Finance), IRCTC - Know About Him
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
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
Civil Services Day 2025 Awards IAS officers
Civil Services Day 25: Inspired by PM’s Vision - Awarded IAS Officers Share Stories of Grassroots Impact
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