UPSC Success Story: P. Balamurugan worked for TCS for some years, but an IAS officer’s work impressed him so much that he decided to quit his well-paying job and started preparing for UPSC CSE. Finally, after arduous preparation, Balamurugan cracked the UPSC examination in 2018 and became an IFS officer.
UPSC Success Story: The UPSC Civil Services Examination is one of the toughest exams in the country and those who manage to crack it often have a journey which is filled with hardships and determination, which led to them to success and changed their life. One such inspiring story is the journey of IFS officer P Balamurugan, who once sold newspapers to earn a living after his father abandoned the family, but persevered and cracked the UPSC officer
Who is P. Balamurugan?
Born in a family facing financial challenges, Balamurugan’s life changed for the worst in the year 1994, when his father abandoned his wife and eight children, following which the entire responsibility of supporting the household fell on his mother, Palanimal. However, she was only received education till Class 10th and as such could not land a suitable job.
In order to support his mother, Balamurugan did odd jobs like selling newspapers for a modest salary of Rs 300 per month. “I once asked a newspaper vendor if I could read a Tamil newspaper. He refused and asked me to buy a subscription for Rs 90/month. I replied that I don’t have any money, following which he offered me a job to sell newspapers,” he recalled.
‘My mother gave me strength’
P. Balamurugan emphasized the role his mother played in his success, saying “she gave me strength in those difficult times”. The woman, facing crippling financial hardships, sold her jewellery and a piece of land she owned, and bought a small place in Chennai, where the entire family on nine lived under a modest hut with a thatched roof.
However, despite the crippling poverty and other challenges, Balamurugan, with his mother’s support, refused to give up and continued his education, whilst also supporting the family by selling newspapers at the age of nine.
From paperboy to UPSC
Balamurugan recalls he got the knack of reading while selling newspapers, and this useful “addiction” would later become the key to his success in UPSC exam. After completing his schooling, Balamurugan graduated from the Madras Institute of Technology, Chennai with a Bachelors degree in Electronics and Communication, and immediately landed a job at TCS through campus placement.
Balamurugan worked for TCS for some years, but an IAS officer’s work impressed him so much that he decided to quit his well-paying job and started preparing for UPSC CSE. Finally, after arduous preparation, Balamurugan cracked the UPSC examination in 2018 and became an IFS officer.
His journey is an inspiration for the millions of underprivileged aspirants who dream of clearing the UPSC but are held back by the their adverse financial conditions.
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