Daijiworld Media Network - Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 17: Perseverance, grit, and an unshakable dream to serve the nation defined the journey of Haritha V Kumar, the first woman from Kerala to top the prestigious UPSC Civil Services Examination. In 2012, at just 27, she secured the All-India Rank 1 on her fourth attempt, etching her name in history.
A native of Neyyattinkara in Kerala, Haritha had been drawn to the civil services from her school days. Born on November 21, 1985, to Vijaya Kumar, a contractor with Kerala Water Authority, and Chitra, a homemaker, she grew up in a modest household with her twin brothers, Sadrarsh and Satheerth. Her early education was at St Theresa’s Convent and later at a government school in Neyyattinkara, before she moved to Thiruvananthapuram to pursue a B.Tech degree in Electronics and Telecommunications at Barton Hill Engineering College.
Though she was offered a job at HCL Technologies after graduation, Haritha chose instead to chase her IAS dream. Her UPSC journey, however, was far from smooth. She cleared the prelims in 2009 but could not get through the mains. In her second attempt, she secured a commendable rank of 179, which got her into the Indian Revenue Service (IRS). Still determined to become an IAS officer, she made a third attempt but slipped to rank 294, leaving her disheartened.
“At that point, I had thought of quitting. It was my parents who pushed me to try once more,” she recalled later. Their encouragement bore fruit—her fourth attempt in 2012 not only secured her a place in the IAS but also the coveted top rank, a first for any woman from Kerala. At the time of the results, she was already undergoing IRS probationary training in Faridabad, Haryana.
Haritha had Economics and Malayalam Literature as her optional subjects, which, she believes, played a key role in her success. Today, she heads Kerala’s Women and Child Development Department, working to shape policies for the welfare of women and children.
Beyond academics, Haritha has always been multi-talented. Trained in Carnatic music and classical dance, she actively participated in cultural activities during her school and college years. In 2022, she made her playback singing debut in the Malayalam film Karuna, directed by Roopesh, lending her voice to a Mohan Sithara composition in raga Shyam Kalyan.
From failing to clear the mains in her first attempt to emerging as the country’s top civil service aspirant, Haritha’s journey is one of resilience and inspiration. Her story continues to motivate countless young aspirants across India who dream of joining the IAS.