He used to herd buffaloes after school; cab driver’s daughter cracked UPSC to become an IAS officer
Vanmathi’s Success Story: For many girls growing up in rural India, finishing school is often followed by a familiar question from family members: “When are you getting married?” Higher education and prestigious jobs may seem like distant dreams, especially when families are struggling financially.Vanmathi, who grew up in Sathyamangalam in Tamil Nadu’s Erode district, also heard the prospect. His father drove a taxi, money was always lacking, and in the evening he tended the family’s buffaloes and helped with household chores. But instead of accepting the life that others planned for him, he chose education. Today, he is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and currently the Collector of Wardha District in Maharashtra.
From domesticated buffalo to dreaming of becoming a Collector
Vanmathi’s childhood was shaped by hard work.Before and after school, she helped her family in every way. He went with the buffaloes to feed them, finished the household chores and also did small jobs to earn money for the family. Studying was just one part of his day.After finishing school, many family members felt that it was time for her parents to arrange a marriage for her. Vanmathi, however, had a different dream. He wanted to continue his studies, and his parents supported his decision despite their financial problems.He completed a bachelor’s degree in Computer Applications, proving that determination can overcome circumstances.Things changed when he saw a woman from the region coming to his town. Seeing a woman leading the district made her believe that one day she could assume the same position.
Four attempts, countless setbacks and one dream that never changed
Like thousands of UPSC aspirants, Vanmathi’s journey was not smooth.To earn his living, he worked in preparation for the Civil Services Examination and later joined the Indian Overseas Bank as an Assistant Manager after completing the bank’s recruitment examination. The work helped to stabilize the economy, but he did not allow it to take the place of his main goals.The UPSC exam tested him again and again.In his first attempt, he made it to the interview stage but missed the final selection. In subsequent tests, he failed in various sections of the test. Each return meant starting the preparation again.Instead of giving up, he kept going.His hard work paid off in 2015, when he secured All India Rank 152 in the Civil Services Examination and joined the Indian Administrative Service in the Maharashtra cadre.
An IAS officer makes a life beyond the examination hall
Over the past decade, Vanmathi has held several administrative posts in Maharashtra, including Nandurbar, Dhule, Mumbai and now Wardha.As an administrator, he has worked on tribal development, rural development, education, health care, water conservation and governance reform. During his time at Nandurbar, he initiated initiatives to increase nutrition in ashram schools and strengthened transparency by establishing direct benefits for students.As Chief Executive Officer of Dhule Zilla Parishad, he played a key role in implementing health and rural development programmes, including coordinating efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.Now serving as Wardha Collector, he has been focusing on water conservation, digital governance and job creation through micro, small and medium enterprises. His digital project management system, designed to ensure transparency and prevent duplication of development projects, was later praised by the Maharashtra government.Vanmathi journey is much closer than clearing UPSC. It is the story of a girl whose parents chose education over marriage at a young age, who refused to let repeated failures decide her future and who turned her childhood dream into a life of service.For students preparing for competitive exams, especially those from small towns and rural areas, his life offers a simple reminder: your circumstances can shape where you start, but they don’t have to decide where you end up.
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