Bengaluru: In a proud moment for Karnataka, Basavaraj Dareppa Kempwad from Savadi village in Athani taluk of Belagavi district has secured All India First Rank in the Indian Forest Service (IFS) examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.

The UPSC announced the results on Friday, May 8, and Basavaraj’s achievement has drawn widespread appreciation across the state. Hailing from a humble farming family, the 25-year-old cracked the prestigious examination in his second attempt alone through consistent hard work and self-study.

Basavaraj completed his primary education in his native village before continuing his studies in the town of Athani. He later pursued his graduate studies in Forestry at a college in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada district. Following graduation, he moved to Bengaluru to prepare for the UPSC examination.

Speaking over the phone after the results, Basavaraj expressed immense happiness over his achievement and credited his success to continuous effort and determination.

“This achievement is the result of my constant hard work. Coming from a rural background and being a farmer’s son, reaching this stage gives me immense pride,” he said.

Basavaraj revealed that he did not depend on coaching institutes during his preparation. “I did not join any special coaching course. I prepared with guidance from seniors and through disciplined self-study,” he said.

“Currently, I am in Bengaluru and will return to my village in the next few days,” he added.

Celebrations erupted in Savadi village soon after the results were announced. Villagers and relatives gathered to congratulate Basavaraj’s family, while many described his success as an inspiration for rural students.

In the IFS examination rankings, Anshuman Kumar secured the second rank while Siddharth secured the third position.

Belagavi district had also performed well in the recent UPSC Civil Services examination, where Rahul Patil secured 224th rank and Basavaraj Patil secured 739th rank.