From Village Shepherd To Cracking UPSC, Birdev Siddhappa Dhone's Road To Glory

News18

25-04-2025

Last Updated:
The 27-year-old Birdev Siddhappa Dhone was tending to goats in Belgaum, Karnataka, when he realised his dream of passing the UPSC examinations.
Birdev Siddhappa Dhone, a shepherd from Karnataka, made waves on Tuesday, April 22, after inspiringly cracking the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations in his third attempt. Despite enormous hardships in his journey, Dhone passed the nation's toughest exams with a rank of 551. The 27-year-old was busy tending to his uncle's goats in Belgaum when he heard the life-changing news that he celebrated traditionally.
'The immediate celebration was simple and true to our cultural ethos- my uncle tied a yellow pheta (turban) on my head and smeared the holy bhandara (turmeric powder) on my forehead. Someone took my picture, which somehow went viral,' Dhone said, as quoted by the Indian Express.
Dhone passed out of the College of Engineering Pune in the civil engineering branch in 2020, having done his 10th standard studies from his village's Zilla Parishad school before completing his senior secondary education at Jai Maharashtra School.
'My education till class Xth was done in the Zilla Parishad school in my village with my senior secondary education from the Jai Maharashtra High School there,' Dhone said.
Hailing from the village of Yamage in Kagal taluka of Kolhapur, Dhone was born into a family of traditional shepherds, Dhangars. Apart from his supportive parents, the youngster has an elder brother, who is a Naik in the Indian army. The family owns an acre of land and uses sheep and goat rearing as its main source of income.
Dhone got a job as a postman in the Indian Post and worked there in 2020-21 but his civil service aspirations never died. He took an incredible leap of faith when he resigned from his postman job to pursue the UPSC single-mindedly. He even went to Delhi for his preparations, with his friend providing him with financial support in the city.
'It was always there in the back of my head that I had to crack the civil services—it was to be difficult, but I knew I had to do it," he said. 'Financially, it was difficult, but one of my friends helped me and my intense desire to be in bureaucracy saw me through the preparation.'
Apart from the great Indian Administrative Services, Dhoni has interest in the Indian Police Services and said he would be equally thrilled to become a police officer. 'As an officer, I would like to listen to people – and ensure they are heard,' he said while also noting that his triumph 'appears like a dream.'
First Published:
April 25, 2025, 18:14 IST