The Union Public Service Commission’s Civil Services Examination (UPSC-CSE) is widely regarded as India’s most grueling academic gauntlet, where only a sliver of millions who appear each year make it through.

Among those rare successes stands IPS officer Divya Tanwar, whose journey from a Haryana village to the police academy is a tale of grit, sacrifice, and unshakable resolve.

Born in Nimbi, Mahendragarh district, Divya lost her father in 2011. The blow left the family in financial turmoil, with her mother, Babita Tanwar, shouldering the burden of raising four children by working in fields and stitching clothes. Despite hardship, Babita refused to let poverty curtail her daughter’s education.

Divya began her schooling at the local government school before earning admission to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV). A science graduate, she set her sights on the UPSC — but unlike most aspirants, she chose not to spend lakhs on coaching. Instead, she relied on online classes, test series, and relentless self-study, guided by discipline and strategy.

In her first attempt in 2021, she stunned many by securing AIR 438 at just 21 years of age, making her one of the country’s youngest IPS officers. Refusing to stop there, she reappeared in 2022, scoring higher and achieving AIR 105, cementing her place in the Manipur cadre.

Today, Divya’s story is more than a personal victory — it’s an anthem of resilience for countless young Indians who dare to dream despite odds stacked against them.