UPSC Success Story: From Tea Stall To Civil Service, The Incredible Journey Of IAS Himanshu Gupta

New Delhi: IAS Himanshu Gupta’s rag-to-riches story is straight out of a Bollywood movie. From being a tea seller’s son to becoming an IAS officer, the inspiring journey of Himanshu Gupta is filled with a lot of struggle and hard work.

Born in Sitarganj in the Udhamsingh district of Uttarakhand, Himanshu grew up in a small town in Bareilly district. His father worked as a labourer in the village before starting a tea stall. As his school was 35 km away from his village, IAS Himanshu had to go up and down 70 km every day.

He would help his father at the tea stall after returning from school. This is how the family made both ends meets. His childhood was spent in extreme poverty. To support the family financially, he also gave tuition classes.

Despite all the issues, he managed to clear his Class 10 and 12 and managed to get admission in Hindu College, Delhi University. To help his family, he worked as a research scholar at a government college.

However, it was his dream to become an IAS officer. However, with no money, he decided to do it by himself without coaching. It took him three attempts and he finally secured AIR-139 to become an IAS officer.

He is currently appointed as the new Secretary of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).