Cracked UPSC exam in first attempt, became IPS officer with AIR 51, worked in Bollywood films, her name is..., now posted at..

India.com

18-07-2025

The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is considered one of the toughest exams in India. In India, the examination is organized by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) each year. The Civil Services Examination serves as a way to select people for prestigious careers with the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian police service (IPS), and the Indian Foreign Service (IFS).
Every year, millions of candidates take the Civil Services Examination and only a small percentage successfully pass.
Who is this IPS officer who cracked UPSC in her first attempt and also worked in Bollywood?
Born in October 1980 in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, IPS officer Simala Prasad has a remarkable lineage. Her mother, Mehrunnisa Parvez, is an eminent author and writer in the area of literature in Indian languages, while her father, Bhagirath Prasad, served as an IAS officer. Mehrunnisa Parvez published rich content encompassing several novels and short stories such as Amma, Adam aur Havva, Tehaniyon par Dhoop, Galat Purush, Phalguni (1978), Antim Chadayee (1982), Sone Ka Besar (1991), Ayodhya Se Vapsi, Samara. Mehrunnisa Parvez was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India, in 2005 for her contribution to literature.
IPS Simala Prasad finished her primary education at St. Joseph Co-Ed School, Bhopal, and went on to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and a Master's degree in Sociology from Barkatullah University.
She first cleared the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) exam and appointed as a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). Upon her appointment, she started preparing for UPSC Civil Services Examination through self-study mode. After hard work, she cleared the UPSC CSE exam in her very first attempt in 2010 and attained an All India Rank (AIR) of 51 at the young age of 22.
Apart from her career as a UPSC officer, Simala Prasad also ventured into the world of Bollywood. IPS Simala Prasad stepped into the film industry, as she reportedly played the lead role in the movie 'The Narmada Story,' which will also feature Raghubir Yadav and Mukesh Tiwari.
On casting the officer of 2010 batch IPS, Simala Prasad, Filmmaker Zaigham Imam was quoted as saying by news agency IANS, 'It was pure luck. We didn't plan it this way. Initially, we considered many names and even conducted screen tests. When IPS Simala Prasad's name came up, we had to think deeply because the script demanded a special kind of seriousness. Our character wasn't typical; it required authenticity.'