Civil Services Success Story: From Software Job to AIR 15 – Journey of Banna Venkatesh

 Civil Services preparation is often described as a marathon rather than a short race. The success story of Banna Venkatesh, who secured All India Rank 15, clearly shows how determination and consistent effort can turn failures into success.

Civil Services Success Story: From Software Job to AIR 15 – Journey of Banna Venkatesh

Civil Services Topper Story – AIR 15 Banna Venkatesh

Name	Banna Venkatesh
Civil Services Rank	All India Rank (AIR) – 15
Native Place	Alladapet Village, Jalumuru Mandal, Srikakulam District
Educational Qualification	B.Tech (Engineering) – Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu
Family Background	Father – Farmer Mother – Homemaker Brother – Scientist at ISRO
Previous Career	Software Engineer (₹1.5 lakh/month salary) before starting Civil Services preparation
Preparation Start	October 2021 (after resigning from job)
Attempts Journey	2022 – Did not clear prelims 2023 – AIR 467, IPS (AP Cadre) 2024 – AIR 15 (IAS Goal Achieved)
Daily Study Time	Around 8 hours with planned preparation
Optional Subject	Geography
Interview Highlights	Questions on engineering background, IAS vs IPS choice, AP development, and meaning of his name “Venkatesh”.
Success Advice	Stay consistent, learn from failures, plan studies properly, and never give up.
Inspiration: Continuous improvement and determination can transform failures into top ranks in Civil Services.

Venkatesh belongs to Alladapet village in Jalumuru mandal of Srikakulam district. After completing his B.Tech in Tamil Nadu, he started working in a software company with a high salary of around ₹1.5 lakh per month. Despite financial stability, he wanted to serve society and decided to leave his job in 2021 to prepare for Civil Services.

His journey was not easy. He could not clear prelims in his first attempt in 2022. Instead of losing confidence, he strengthened his preparation and secured AIR 467 in 2023, joining the IPS with Andhra Pradesh cadre. Still aiming for IAS, he continued preparation and finally achieved AIR 15 in 2024, fulfilling his dream.

He studied around eight hours daily with proper planning and focused preparation. Online coaching, mock tests, newspaper reading, and consistent revision helped him improve steadily. During the interview, he was asked questions related to engineering, administration, Andhra Pradesh development, and even the meaning of his name “Venkatesh.”

His message to aspirants is simple: stay patient, learn from every attempt, and never give up on your goal.