On Tuesday, Birdev Siddhappa Dhone (27) was busy tending his and his uncle’s goats near Belgaum in Karnataka when he got the news which changed his world. Dhone had cracked the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations and stood 551st in the country. “The immediate celebration was simple and true to our cultural ethos- my uncle tied a yellow pheta (turban) on my head and smeared the holy bhandara (turmeric powder) on my forehead. Someone took my picture, which somehow went viral,” he said. The picture, which shows the temporary tent, and the animals which the family is tending to at present. It reflects not just the humble background from where Dhone comes but also a testimony to his tenacity and hard work, despite the odds. Born in a family of traditional shepherds (Dhangars) Dhone hails from the village of Yamage in Kagal taluka of Kolhapur. His family, which comprises his parents and an elder brother (who is a Naik in the Indian Army), owns an acre of land with sheep and goat rearing being the main source of income for the family. “My education till class Xth was done in the Zilla Parishad school in my village with my senior secondary education from the Jai Maharashtra High School there,” he said. After standard XII, he passed out of the College of Engineering Pune in the civil engineering branch in 2020. Between 2020 and 2021 Dhone worked as a postman in the Indian Post but his civil services dreams refused to die. Hailing from a humble background he took a big risk when he decided to try for the civil services, resigning from his position as a postman. “It was always there in the back of my head that I have to crack the civil services—it was to be difficult but I knew I had to do it,” he said. Dhone went to the national capital, Delhi, to prepare for civil services. “Financially it was difficult but one of my friends helped me, and my intense desire to be in bureaucracy saw me through the preparation ,” he said. This was his third attempt and Dhone hoped he would be able to get into the prestigious Indian Administrative Services, but he said he would be equally happy to be in Indian Police Services (IPS). “As an officer I would like to listen to people – and ensure they are heard,” he said. Dhone is yet to return to his village in Kolhapur, for now, he lives in a small village near Belgaum but his phone has not stopped ringing. Between accepting congratulatory messages and tending the animals, Dhone says he feels his hard work has paid off at last. Back in Yamage, the villagers have planned a grand welcome for him on Sunday. “It all appears like a dream,” he said.
