In a heartwarming tale of grit and determination, Birdev Siddhappa Dhone, a 27-year-old shepherd from Karnataka, has cracked the prestigious UPSC exam in his third attempt, securing an impressive All India Rank of 551, reported News18.
What makes his journey so special is not just the result, but the road that led to it.
Dhone was born into a family of traditional shepherds in Yamage village in Kolhapur’s Kagal taluka. His family belongs to the Dhangar community, a nomadic group known for rearing sheep and goats. Their livelihood depended on a small acre of land and their animals.
Dhone did his schooling at the local Zilla Parishad school, then completed his senior secondary from Jai Maharashtra High School. Despite the lack of resources, he went on to graduate in civil engineering from the College of Engineering Pune in 2020.
After college, he briefly worked as a postman in 2020-21. But the dream of joining the civil services never left him. With help from a friend who supported him financially, Dhone moved to Delhi to prepare for the UPSC exams, reported India Today. He left his job, faced financial stress, and battled many hardships but he never gave up.
“When I heard I cleared the exam, I was tending goats with my uncle in Belgaum. My uncle tied a yellow turban on my head and applied turmeric on my forehead,” he said.
Beerappa Siddappa Doni, a youth from the Kuruba community from Amage village in Karanataka, neighbouring Maharashatra cleared UPSC CSE exam with All India Rank 551.
It was a joyful even for for this sheep-herding community when they heard this news yesterday. pic.twitter.com/Blb3AzQXyV
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) April 23, 2025
Dhone’s success has sparked celebrations across his village. The joy wasn’t just his, but it belonged to his entire community. A place where higher education seemed like a distant dream is now buzzing with hope.
His story is proof that no dream is too big, and no background too humble!