Unveiling the Person Behind UPSC AIR-1 Aditya Srivastava
In a captivating podcast by Beyond Spotlight, we get a rare glimpse into the life and thoughts of Aditya Srivastava, the UPSC 2023 All India Rank 1 holder, beyond his remarkable academic achievement. This wasn’t just another interview about cracking the civil services exam; it was a journey to understand the person behind the rank, exploring his experiences, beliefs, and aspirations.
The host warmly welcomed Aditya, sharing his long-held desire to connect with him since the 2023 results. Setting a relaxed and personal tone, the conversation delved into Aditya’s experiences during IPS training, his reaction to the phenomenal success, and his perspectives on various aspects of life.
From IPS Training to IAS Glory: An Unbelievable Journey
Aditya fondly recalled the moment his friends, fellow IPS trainees, informed him of his AIR-1, describing it as an “unbelievable” experience that took time to sink in. Sharing the joyous moment with his close friends made it even more special. Despite his immense hard work, Aditya humbly admitted he was only praying for a rank within the top 70 to secure an IAS posting.
Interestingly, his celebration was rather low-key, involving a cake cutting with friends before heading to his scheduled swimming class. This grounded response truly set the tone for an interview focused on the individual rather than just the achievement.
The Training Ground: IPS vs. IAS
Drawing on his experience in both IPS and IAS training, Aditya highlighted the distinct differences driven by the different job requirements. A major distinction lies in the intensity of outdoor activities, with IPS training involving around 5 hours compared to the IAS’s single hour of PT. Furthermore, IPS training offers a wider range of skills such as horse riding, swimming, and weapon handling, which are not part of the IAS curriculum. However, Aditya noted that the scope of service in IAS is more diverse, offering exposure to numerous fields unlike the more focused nature of the IPS. He mentioned having used more than 10-11 types of weapons during his IPS training, including the Glock and AK-47. He clarified that the choice of personal weapon post-training largely depends on the state of service and government regulations.
Learning Beyond Borders: The Need for Global Exposure?
The conversation touched upon the Indian military’s joint exercises with other nations and whether a similar exchange program would benefit IAS and IPS trainees. Aditya recalled that foreign attachments were part of the training until 2019, aimed at learning best practices from other countries. However, he pointed out the current government focus on leveraging the “best practices” already existing within India, tailored to the local environment.
Life at LBSNAA: A Glimpse into the Routine
For those curious about life at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Aditya provided a glimpse into his daily routine. It typically starts with PT in the morning, followed by indoor classes until evening. Evenings might involve working on assignments or preparing for presentations. The classes cover diverse modules such as urban and rural development, law, and public administration, incorporating both theoretical and hands-on experiences. These classes are conducted by internal faculty and both serving and retired officers.
Personal Reflections: Staying Grounded Amidst Change
Aditya shared that his personal life, while seeing a reduction in the frequency of communication with friends and family due to the demanding training schedule, remains largely the same. He still pursues his hobbies in his free time. He humorously noted that his close circle continues their casual way of communication despite his achievements.
Navigating the Digital World: Social Media and Perspectives
Discussing social media, Aditya agreed that one can get an idea of a person’s current inclinations based on their Instagram feed. His own feed includes content related to cricket, Game of Thrones, and fellow officers. When asked about the controversial “Samay Raina” issue, Aditya emphasized the importance of using the freedom of speech and expression responsibly, within the reasonable restrictions guaranteed by the constitution. He extended this principle to comedy as well.
Bureaucracy and Crowd Control: Handling Unruly Situations
Addressing concerns about controlling unruly crowds, Aditya acknowledged he wasn’t fully aware of the specific case mentioned (Kunal Kamra’s show being vandalized). However, from an academic standpoint, he highlighted the legal provisions like Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (defining unlawful assembly) and the powers vested in the police to disperse such assemblies and punish individuals involved. He stressed the importance of the “presence of mind” of the civil servant on the ground and their ability to make quick decisions to control and disperse crowds. He also mentioned Section 148 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which empowers the use of civil force like water cannons, tear gas, and lathi charge as a last resort to control violent crowds.
Financial Wisdom: Investing for the Future
Having worked at Goldman Sachs, Aditya shared his insights on investment. He differentiated between the risk profiles of different age groups, suggesting that conservative investments like FDs and mutual funds are suitable for older generations. For younger individuals with a longer time horizon, he deemed it feasible to take on more risk by investing in mutual funds and even directly in stocks after careful analysis. He himself follows a similar investment approach.
Exploring India: Adventures and Discoveries
Recounting his Bharat Darshan experiences during IPS and IAS training, Aditya mentioned traveling extensively across South India and various parts of the country, including the North East. He particularly highlighted scuba diving in the Andaman Islands as his most memorable and thrilling adventure, overcoming his fear of the sea and witnessing the vibrant marine life. He also recalled his visit to Rishikesh, primarily for ITBP attachment and river rafting, along with experiencing the Ganga Aarti. While not an avid traveler for the sake of it, Aditya enjoys exploring new things, like seeing snow for the first time. He offered recommendations for youth to visit places like the mountains (for a unique cold experience), Hyderabad (for its cuisine and infrastructure), Lucknow (for its culture and monuments), and Rishikesh (for Ganga Aarti and river rafting). Regarding travel safety in India, Aditya advised caution and self-awareness, acknowledging the existence of scams but also reassuring that tourism in India is generally safe and easily accessible. He cautioned against the negativity bias often amplified on social media.
A Path Chosen: Passion Over Potential “Loss”
Addressing the notion of potentially losing a brilliant electrical engineer and researcher to the civil services, Aditya acknowledged the possibilities but emphasized that his choice was driven by his own interests. He also highlighted the crucial role of bureaucrats in creating an environment conducive to innovation and research in India, a sphere he hopes to contribute to.
Future Goals and Personal Milestones
Looking ahead, Aditya’s immediate focus is on absorbing his training, enhancing his skills and knowledge, and contributing to the field to the best of his ability. He expressed a keen interest in supporting startups and promoting entrepreneurship in India. On the personal front, while acknowledging the inevitable topic of marriage, he remains shielded from excessive pressure and believes it will happen at the right time. He humorously admitted that whether he’s fully “ready” for the responsibilities of being a husband is something he’ll only understand through experience.
Light-Hearted Moments: IPL, Hobbies, and Quirks
Being a sports enthusiast, Aditya revealed his long-standing support for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the IPL, initially drawn by AB de Villiers and currently by Virat Kohli. He found the drill component (parade) during IPS training to be the toughest, requiring immense focus and restricted movement, especially in the Hyderabad heat. While his intense physical training during IPS was unsustainable, he maintains a decent level of fitness through sports.
Aditya emphasized that mental fitness is the most crucial, followed by actual physical fitness, which he believes will manifest outwardly. He shared his rather unique fascination with dinosaurs, sparked by the movie Godzilla in his childhood. He admires the persistence and harmonious coexistence with nature of dinosaurs as a species.
Rapid Fire and Final Thoughts
The rapid-fire round provided quick insights into Aditya’s preferences: Lucknow over Hyderabad, scuba diving over Kodaikanal biking, mountains over beaches, outdoor physical games over indoor mind games, listening to music over reading, Arijit Singh as a favorite singer, early bird over night owl during preparation, walking and running over gym, prelims being more stressful, and describing the UPSC syllabus as “epic”. He expressed happiness at being compared to Pankaj Tripathi, who along with Manoj Bajpayee, are actors whose work he admires. The last movie he watched was the foreign film “12 Angry Men,” a court-room drama about a jury deliberating on a murder case.
Finally, offering advice to UPSC aspirants with two months left for prelims, Aditya stressed focusing on Polity and Economy due to their conceptual and application-based nature. He advised applying their knowledge and observed patterns from previous years’ questions to other subjects. Most importantly, he urged them to maintain patience and attempt the paper with a calm mind. His message for the youth was to continuously learn and focus on personal growth across all aspects of life.
This insightful conversation with Aditya Srivastava went beyond the typical success story, revealing a grounded, thoughtful, and multifaceted individual who is now embarking on a significant journey of service to the nation. His experiences and perspectives offer valuable lessons not just for UPSC aspirants but for anyone striving for personal and professional growth. Don’t forget to watch the full interview on Beyond Spotlight for more inspiring details!
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