Pravin Kumar: ?Self-motivated?

Giridih, May 10: It is all about determination.

Unlike lots of successful individuals with a relatively good socio-economic background, Pravin Kumar, a son of a farmer, cracked the UPSC civil service examination securing an all-India rank of 19 this year.

Although Pravin has no lineage of bureaucracy, this ?self-motivated? individual wants all but to serve the society, especially the rural areas, with the ?power? he would have being an IAS officer. In fact, Pravin had cleared the examination ? considered the toughest in the country ? ranking 83 in 2003 and opted for Indian Revenue Service (Custom and Central Excise). However, he was not content with what he had achieved which motivated him taking the exam again.

?My ultimate goal was to become an IAS officer,? said a confident Pravin, a native of Govindpur in Munger where his father still continues to earn a living from cultivating crop round the year.

However, the 28-year-old youth, who is on probation in the revenue service in Faridabad, considers Giridih his second home as he spent the past 14 years in the house of his brother-in-law, who had ?guided him towards the goal?.

Pravin appears indebted to his brother-in-law, Ramjivan Rai ? a teacher in H.E. High School here ? as he repeatedly mentioned his sister and Rai?s contribution to his success.

Asked what prompted him to take up this career, Pravin, who also qualified in the civil service preliminary examination in 2002, told The Telegraph: ?I have no role model and inspiring person for choosing the administrative job but I want to serve the society, as coming from a rural background I have seen villagers struggling for life.?

?At least now I can strive to alleviate their struggle that they have to undergo for every little thing they do,? said Pravin, a chemistry graduate from Hindu College, Delhi, adding that ?I want to become just a good administrator?.

An alumnus of Navodaya Vidyalaya, Banka, and DPS, Bokaro, Pravin has been a good student from his childhood. But what was the secret of his success before the interview board? ?Singing,? pat comes the reply from the Ghulam Ali and Mehdi Hassan fan, who has reportedly impressed the members at the board with his knowledge of ghazals.

Pravin, who got married to Smriti ? an MBA working in Mumbai ? in December last year, leaves a message for the IAS aspirants: ?Set your goal, have passion and right approach towards the goal and honest labour.?