Latest news with #K.Vasuki
The Hindu
10-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
K. Vasuki's memoir The School of Life released
Thiruvananthapuram It was perhaps fitting that three volunteers representing the nearly 1,000-strong group that was the driving force behind the relief operations in the district during the 2018 floods received copies of Labour Secretary K. Vasuki's book The School of Life in the State capital on Saturday. Thomas Augustine, Bharat Govind, and Anish V.L. who were part of the volunteer task force when Ms. Vasuki was the District Collector received the book from her. In Ms. Vasuki's own words, the 440-page memoir, published by DC Books, is an exploration of the purpose of life. 'In the race for survival in this competitive and consumerist world, we tend to forget what life, happiness, love, peace of mind are all about. The book tells us how to achieve the above.' She says she learnt a lot from her personal and professional life. Her interactions with people from all walks of life, her own research, and what she learnt from it helped her introspect about her own life scientifically. 'I understood that life is a wonderful teacher. It teaches us things that one often does not get through formal education. But we have to be ready to listen to it. I implemented these lessons in my personal and professional life. It gave me a sense of purpose on what I could do so that others too could change and improve their lives.' Ms. Vasuki's husband S. Karthikeyan, IAS; DC Books representative Riya; and Kerala Union of Working Journalists office-bearers were present at the function.
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Civil Services officers share experiences, tips at The Hindu Civil Service Gateway Summit 2025
The two-day The Hindu Civil Service Gateway Summit 2025 which opened at hotel Hycinth here on Friday saw a galaxy of IAS, IPS and IA&AS officers sharing their experiences and valuable tips for acing the gruelling Civil Services exams with young people hoping to follow in their footsteps. K. Vasuki, an IAS officer of the 2008 batch, underscored the importance of smart work, strategisation in preparing for the exams. Speaking on 'Mastering the art of time management for UPSC preparation,' Ms. Vasuki said the preparations were all about stress management and adequate planning. She also urged aspirants to incorporate some form of meditation in their daily schedule. 'Be clear about purpose' At the same time, an aspirant should be clear about his/her purpose in choosing to enter the Civil Services, Ms. Vasuki said. 'Do not come here for the glamour or power of being an IAS officer. If you come here to become a successful officer in the eyes of others, you will be in for a great disappointment,' she said. Divya S. Iyer, Managing Director, Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd, spoke on 'How to build a comprehensive study plan for UPSC.' She said there are no shortcuts for cracking the exams. While ingredients may be the same, the recipes will be different for each person, she said. Speakers at Friday's sessions also advised that it was important for young people to understand that not getting into the Civil Services is not the end of the world. ADGP S. Sreejith, who spoke on 'Life during UPSC preparation and good habits to cultivate,' said one should not be disappointed for failing to get through after preparing for a long time. The preparations itself equips a candidate for bigger, better jobs later on. Prove advantageous Arun S. Nair, IAS, who spoke on 'Strategies to crack UPSC with IAS as your goal,' advised aspirants that starting the preparations at an early stage could prove advantageous for them. One should also practice good handwriting and time management as early as possible while preparing for the prelims, he said. The choice of optional subject should be a well-thought out decision, he added. Mohammed Danish, an IA&AS officer, spoke on 'Cracking the civil services and why IA&AS might be the apt choice for you.' Around 1,000 students attended the six sessions on the first day of the event. Saturday's sessions will cover 'Dos and Don'ts for Civil Services preparation' by Alfred O.V.; 'How to prepare for UPSC interviews' by Abraham Renn; Interactive session with 2025 rank-holders moderated by Soma Basu, Senior Deputy Editor, The Hindu; 'Civil Services preparation and the scope of IPS' by Shahansha K.S; and 'Unlocking the UPSC exam code and importance of IFS' by Jeeva Maria Joy.
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
10 Civil Service officers, 2025 rank-holders to lead sessions at The Hindu Civil Service Gateway Summit
An intensive two-day summit designed exclusively for UPSC aspirants will be held at Hotel Hycinth Confluence, Thiruvananthapuram, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 9 and 10. The Hindu Civil Service Gateway Summit 2025 brings together a power-packed line-up of serving civil servants, UPSC toppers, subject experts, and premier coaching institutes to deliver a comprehensive and career-defining experience for aspirants preparing for the 2026–27 examination cycle. The sessions in the summit and the Civil Service officers who will lead them include: 'Mastering the art of time management for UPSC preparation' by K. Vasuki; 'Strategies to crack UPSC with IAS as your goal' by Arun S. Nair; 'Civil Services preparation and the scope of IPS' by Shahansha K.S.; 'How to build a comprehensive study plan for UPSC' by Divya S. Iyer; 'Cracking the Civil Services and why the Indian Audit and Accounts Service might be the apt choice for you' by Mohammed Danish K.; 'Dos and Don'ts for Civil Services preparation' by Alfred O.V.; 'How to prepare for UPSC interviews' by Abraham Renn; 'Q&A with Rank Holders of 2025' by Minnu P.M.; 'Life during UPSC preparation and good habits to cultivate' by S. Sreejith; and 'Unlocking the UPSC exam code and importance of IFS' by Jeeva Maria Joy. Apart from this, rank holders of the 2025 Civil Services examinations, including Nandanaa G.P. (AIR 47), Sonnet Jose (AIR 54), Visakh C.R. (AIR 656) will also participate in the event to share their exam experiences in a Q&A. Nandanaa G.P. will also lead a session on 'How to read newspaper for cracking the Civil Services.' In a landscape where Civil Services preparation is both intense and dynamic, this summit provides aspirants with unmatched access to mentorship, learning resources, and peer interaction. From cracking prelims to handling the UPSC personality test with confidence, the sessions are designed to address every stage of the journey. Summit highlights The summit will provide strategic study plans for prelims and mains which will comprise curated insights on time management, syllabus breakdown, and test-taking approaches shared by subject experts and rank-holders. There will be a masterclass on reading the newspaper for UPSC, which involves a workshop to help aspirants understand how to extract key content from newspapers, structure notes, and connect current affairs to General Studies papers. The session on 'Toppers' Speak – Learn from the Class of 2025' will see recent UPSC achievers share their experiences, mistakes to avoid, and what helped them clear one of India's toughest exams. The candidates will be able to interact with over 15 leading coaching institutes. Aspirants can explore various course offerings, access preparation materials, and speak to mentors from India's top-rated UPSC academies. Finally, there will be insights from civil servants for practical perspectives on governance, ethics, and life in public service. Aspirants targeting the 2026 or 2027 UPSC exams, students in undergraduate/postgraduate programmes planning to take up Civil Services, parents looking to understand the preparation roadmap for their children, and academic and coaching professionals guiding UPSC students may attend the summit. Participation, registration The summit is free for students, but pre-registration is mandatory owing to limited seats. Those looking to engage in branding and stall participation can also reach out to the organisers for partnerships. To register for the sessions, scan the QR code or visit:
