Nandini KR, the topper of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination 2016 revealed that she wants to join the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in order to serve the people of the country. She added that although this will be a challenging task she is ready for it as it will be a great opportunity to learn and work for the welfare of the country.
Nandini expressing her happiness on being the topper mentioned about her friends who were joking before the results declaration and asking her to get ready to celebrate her victory.
Nandini had appeared for the UPSC examination in the year 2014 for the first time. She was selected under the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) category in the year 2015. And thus was appointed as a probationary officer in the Union Finance Ministry. She was trained for the revenue department at the training centre in Faridabad.
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Discussing her flaws in the first attempt, she said that she realised that she was not consistent in her first attempt and made sure to work on it and thus started from the grassroots level.
Nandini is the second woman to top the UPSC exams from South India, 16 years later after Vijayalakshmi Bidari who was the topper of 2001 examination.
Nandini took Kannada as her optional subject in both her attempt in 2015 as well as in 2016 exams. She took coaching for the same from Insight Coaching Centre in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Nandini belongs to Kembodi village in Kolar district near Bengaluru. Her family includes her younger brother, Thorun Patel and her parents – Ramesh (father) and Vimala (mother).
Nandini did her schooling from a government-aided school, Thimmaiah Vidyalaya at Kolar in Kannada medium. She studied pre-university course from Alva’s College situated in Moodabidri, Dakshina Kannada. She completed her graduation in civil engineering from M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru . She was a gold medalist. After completing her graduation, Nandini worked as an assistant engineer in the state public works department for two-three years but was always aspired to become an IAS officer.
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His father praised his daughter and said that he was confident about his daughter’s success as he has seen Nandini’s dedication and hard work since childhood.
Nandini’s neighbour, Gopal Reddy appreciating her mother’s effort on the phone revealed that her mom gave up her job as a teacher to guide her children in their studies.