Latest news with #BirdevSiddhappaDhone
Mint
26-04-2025
- General
- Mint
Shepherd's son in Karnataka cracks Civil Services Exam: 'I knew I had to do it,'
On Tuesday, 27-year-old Birdev Siddhappa Dhone was out grazing goats—his own and his uncle's—near Belgaum in Karnataka when life took a dramatic turn. News reached him that he had cleared the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, securing an All India Rank of 551. '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 hails from Yamage, a village in Kagal taluka of Kolhapur, and comes from a humble background rooted in the Dhangar community, known for its traditional shepherding. His family, which relies primarily on goat and sheep rearing for livelihood, owns just an acre of land. Alongside his encouraging parents, Dhone also has an elder brother serving as a Naik in the Indian Army. Dhone completed his civil engineering degree from the College of Engineering Pune in 2020. His academic journey began at the Zilla Parishad school in his village, where he studied till the 10th standard, followed by his senior secondary education at Jai Maharashtra School. Also read | Who is Shakti Dubey? How did she clear UPSC Civil Service examination after 5 attempts? '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. In 2020-21, Dhone worked as a postman with India Post, but his ambition to join the civil services remained unwavering. In a bold move, he resigned from his job to focus entirely on preparing for the UPSC exams. He relocated to Delhi to pursue his dream, with financial support from a close friend who helped him settle 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.' While Dhone aspires to join the prestigious Indian Administrative Service, he's equally enthusiastic about serving in the Indian Police Service. 'Becoming a police officer would thrill me just as much,' he said, adding that his goal as an officer is to truly listen to people and make sure their voices are heard. Reflecting on his success, he admitted, 'It still feels like a dream.' First Published: 26 Apr 2025, 07:59 AM IST
News18
25-04-2025
- General
- News18
From Village Shepherd To Cracking UPSC, Birdev Siddhappa Dhone's Road To Glory
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
Indian Express
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Dreams delivered: From shepherd to postman to 551st rank in UPSC
On Tuesday, Birdev Siddhappa Dhone (27) was busy tending his and his uncle's goats near Belgaum in Karnataka when he got the news which changed his world. Dhone had cracked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations and stood 551st in the country. '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,' he said. The picture, which shows the temporary tent, and the animals which the family is tending to at present. It reflects not just the humble background from where Dhone comes but also a testimony to his tenacity and hard work, despite the odds. Born in a family of traditional shepherds (Dhangars) Dhone hails from the village of Yamage in Kagal taluka of Kolhapur. His family, which comprises his parents and an elder brother (who is a Naik in the Indian Army), owns an acre of land with sheep and goat rearing being the main source of income for the family. '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,' he said. After standard XII, he passed out of the College of Engineering Pune in the civil engineering branch in 2020. Between 2020 and 2021 Dhone worked as a postman in the Indian Post but his civil services dreams refused to die. Hailing from a humble background he took a big risk when he decided to try for the civil services, resigning from his position as a postman. 'It was always there in the back of my head that I have to crack the civil services—it was to be difficult but I knew I had to do it,' he said. Dhone went to the national capital, Delhi, to prepare for civil services. 'Financially it was difficult but one of my friends helped me, and my intense desire to be in bureaucracy saw me through the preparation ,' he said. This was his third attempt and Dhone hoped he would be able to get into the prestigious Indian Administrative Services, but he said he would be equally happy to be in Indian Police Services (IPS). 'As an officer I would like to listen to people – and ensure they are heard,' he said. Dhone is yet to return to his village in Kolhapur, for now, he lives in a small village near Belgaum but his phone has not stopped ringing. Between accepting congratulatory messages and tending the animals, Dhone says he feels his hard work has paid off at last. Back in Yamage, the villagers have planned a grand welcome for him on Sunday. 'It all appears like a dream,' he said.
