Ravi Kumar Sihag: Biography, UPSC Journey, and Achievements
Ravi Kumar Sihag is an officer of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) who achieved fame nationwide by 18 ranks in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2021. He was born on July 13, 1992, in Vijaynagar, Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. He has passed this very prestigious UPSC exam thrice despite all hurdles and mind you, it happens at last rank one-that is a dream coming true-in 2021. More so, the honor of being the topper of Hindi-medium candidates makes it much more inspirational.

Early life and Family
Ravi Kumar Sihag was born to a very simple family. His father, Ramkumar Sihag, is a farmer, while his mother, Vimala Devi, is a homemaker. He has three sisters: Komal Sihag, Raveena Sihag, and Poonam Sihag. Upbringing in the rural background is very important in shaping and molding one’s dedication and perseverance.

Education in Up-Sc and Preparation
He completed his Schooling from ‘New Senior Secondary School’ Habl. Then raised a degree from Maharaja Ganga Singh College, Rajasthan, Political Science, Economics, and English, passing out in 2016. He began preparing himself for the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

Ravi chose Hindi as the medium and put forth all efforts to clear the exam. He went for taking coaching in Drishti IAS Academy, Delhi, which proved very helpful in bringing clarity to the preparation procedure. Hindi literature was the optional subject in UPSC for him, which cannot be left out of his language preference.

UPSC Journey and Achievements
He appeared for the examination of UPSC Civil Services four times and succeeded in three such attempts:

2018: Secured 337th rank and was allotted Indian Defense Accounts Service (IDAS).
2019: Improved his performance with a 317th rank, earning a place in the Indian Railway Transport Service (IRTS).
2020: Could not clear the Mains exam.
2021: Achieved 18th rank and became a Hindi-medium topper.
His remarkable achievement in 2021 was a testament to his resilience and hard work, proving that language is not a barrier to success in India’s toughest examination.

Books Followed by Ravi Sihag
During his preparation, Ravi referred to several standard UPSC books, including:

A Brief History of Modern India – Spectrum
Indian Art and Culture – Nitin Singhania
Certificate Physical & Human Geography – G.C. Leong
Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth
Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh
Shankar IAS Environment
Internal Security and Disaster Management – Ashok Kumar

Current Status and Social Media Presence
Ravi Kumar Sihag is currently undergoing IAS training in Pune. Updates regarding his official posting will be available once the training is completed.

Twitter: @RaviKrSihag01
Instagram: ravisihag01
His journey serves as an inspiration for UPSC aspirants, especially those appearing in Hindi medium, proving that with determination and perseverance, success is achievable.