IAS officer M Sivaguru Prabakaran’s painful struggle in life serves as a ray of hope for aspirants who are currently marred by the harsh realities of financial hardships. With father battling alcoholism, Prabakaran had to quit his studies to make ends meet for his family.
He managed to get his sister married and arranged two square meals a day for the family by working as a sawmill operator. Even under such difficult conditions, Prabakaran’s first priority was education. He initially gave up on his academic goals after seeing his mother and sister struggling, but he never gave up on his childhood dream of becoming an IAS officer.
His responsibilities were reduced after he managed to get his sister married. Prabakaran took the advantage and went back to school. However, he continued to work at the sawmill for his brother’s education while also trying to fend for his family.
With his hard work and willpower, he finished school and enrolled himself in the prestigious Thanthai Periyar Government Institute of Technology in Vellore for civil engineering. With his unwavering dedication, he juggled between his studies and work to make ends meet for his family.
As a result of his unwavering quest for knowledge, he qualified for the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M). After passing out from IIT-M, he could have easily got a high-paying job in an MNC. However, he set his sights on passing the highly-sought UPC exam.
However, the UPSC journey wasn’t a cakewalk for him either. He had to face failures in three attempts until Prabakaran’s perseverance paid off on his fourth try. He achieved an impressive AIR-101 and was able to claim his rightful position as an IAS officer.
Prabakaran’s journey is proof of the strength of consistency, dedication and perseverance in pursuing one’s goals. His life journey encourages us to overcome obstacles and to work tirelessly to fulfill our goals.