What you seek is seeking you. Those putting in hard work with patience and perseverance can never be stopped from climbing the ladder of success. The situations may make you opt for what you do not want but a little dedication takes you closer to your dream. This is the story of IAS officer Priyamvada Ashok Mhaddalkar who secured an all-India rank 13 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023.

A resident of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, Priyamvada became an IAS officer at the age of 31. She cleared the examination on her second attempt. However, she did not plan to appear for the examination in the initial stage of her career. Rather, she pursued a B.Tech degree in Electronics Engineering from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute, Mumbai. Later, she got her MBA degree from IIM Bangalore after which she successfully landed a job in an investment banking firm. For six years, she continued to work with different companies in the financial services sector.

During her career journey in the investment banking sector, she even had the opportunity to visit Germany in an exchange program. She quit her job in July 2020 to concentrate on UPSC studies. Mhaddalkar, in a conversation with the media, informed that she chose the online learning mode for preparation and opted for self-study for all subjects. Speaking about why she left the job to become an IAS officer, she said, “My father is a government servant too. I have always wanted to appear for the competitive exams and serve society.”

The IAS officer, during an interaction with Indian Masterminds, noted the challenges that she faced during her preparation. She highlighted that it was difficult for her to sit for long hours and study at a stretch after a six-year-long gap in between, while she was working. She said, “Once you start working, you get so used to typing on a keyboard, and accustomed to the digital mode that when suddenly you have to sit for three hours while giving an exam, writing with a pen and paper, it becomes very challenging.”

Another challenge that she spoke about was managing a family along with the preparations.

for the examination. However, the unconditional love and support from her family made things easier for her.