This is not just a success story.
This is the story of a son, a student, and a struggler who slowly became a leader.
Sai Raghava comes from Proddatur, a town where dreams grow quietly and opportunities are earned with effort.
His father, C. Babu (Deceased), worked as a migrant worker in Kuwait for many years, staying away from home so his family could live better. His mother is a homemaker who carried the family emotionally and practically through every storm.
There was no comfort. There was only responsibility.
Academically, Raghava was an above-average but very focused student. He wasn’t a flashy topper, but he was consistent, sincere, and strong in descriptive subjects.
He completed schooling with discipline, excelled in Intermediate with 984/1000 marks, and went on to pursue B.Tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering, NIT Trichy.
Challenges were always there — financial pressure, self-doubt, and later personal loss.
But this background built something powerful in him: resilience, patience, and hunger to improve.
When Civil Services Became Serious for Sai Raghava?
Civil services was not a sudden idea. It was a childhood dream.
But for many years, Raghava felt underconfident. He admired officers, but doubted whether he could become one.
After graduation, he joined Fidelity Investments as a Software Engineer in Bengaluru. The job gave him something priceless — self-belief.
He realised that even if he failed in exams, life would not collapse. He could stand on his own feet.That confidence pushed him to take the biggest decision of his life. He resigned.
And chose APPSC Group-I seriously. Not by accident. By courage.
Raghava’s Biggest Struggle:
The hardest phase came just when preparation began.
COVID hit. Everything stopped. Coaching closed. Mentorships disappeared. Isolation grew.
And then came the biggest shock.
His father passed away during COVID.
Emotionally shattered.
Financially uncertain.
Mentally exhausted.
With a homemaker mother and sudden responsibility, life felt overwhelming.
There were moments when quitting felt easier. But he didn’t.
What pushed him through was his mother’s belief.
She kept saying:
“Your time will come. Don’t stop.”
That faith saved his dream.
The Breakthrough Change
Initially, Raghava was studying hard — but not smart.
At one point, he realised something crucial:
👉 Hard work without direction was draining him.
That’s when he changed his approach. Mentors like Sandeep Raghuvanshi (IAS) helped Raghava through the following inputs:
• Strong conceptual clarity
• Understanding exam mindset
• Smart elimination techniques
• Structured descriptive answers
Preparation became purposeful instead of random.
That was the turning point.
His Real Preparation System
Raghava never chased extreme study hours. He believed in sustainable discipline. Thanks to his friends Sai Manoj (Group-1 officer) and Challa Pavan Kalyan (IPS), he had a solid routine.
His routine looked like this:
Morning (from 6:30 AM) — toughest subjects
Midday — consolidation and revision
Later hours — Physical Fitness + rest
He rotated subjects regularly.
He revised frequently. His peer group with Sai Manoj helped them revise recurrent themes with ease and continuity.
He practised consistently.
This balance kept burnout away even during long preparation years.
Turning Weakness into Strength
His toughest subjects were: Science & Technology and Andhra Pradesh Economy
Initially, these papers scared him. They felt heavy and confusing.
The transformation came after joining La Excellence IAS’s Test Series. All the high priority topics were thoroughly covered in the
What helped him most:
• Structured schedules of La Excellence Test Series
• Regular test series and writing them no matter what
• Honest evaluation by La Ex mentors
• Peer discussions with Manoj and Naani.
• Complete syllabus coverage
He stopped skipping difficult areas. He faced them fully. And they became manageable. Raghava expressed his sincere thanks to La Excellence IAS and his friends Manoj, Pavan and Naani, who are all in respectable government jobs today. And we are proud to remind you that all the three of them are part of La Excellence Core Batch. They are part of our La Excellence family.
How Raghava made Smart Use of the Resources:
Raghava followed a simple rule: Limited resources, maximum revision.
Instead of collecting too many books, he trusted:
• Core Batch material of La Excellence
• Test series feedback
• Repeated revisions with his Peer Group
• Practice-based learning
He avoided random preparation. He avoided jumping between sources.
Depth mattered more than quantity.
The One Habit That Changed Everything
If Raghava had to credit one habit, it would be:
Daily consistency — even on low-motivation days.
Not waiting to feel inspired. Not studying only when energetic. Just showing up every day.
That habit built momentum. And momentum built success.
How Raghava handled Delayed process of APPSC Group-1?
Long delays were mentally exhausting. Uncertainty. Waiting periods. Frustration.
Even when he couldn’t clear prelims in 2025, he didn’t quit.
He continued preparing.
He strengthened fundamentals.
He stayed mentally active.
Friends supported him emotionally during low phases.
His advice to aspirants: Treat delays as extra preparation time, not punishment.
His Journey with Law Excellence:
Law Excellence became a turning point in his APPSC journey.
The practical schedule kept him disciplined.
The test series built exam temperament.
The evaluation highlighted real weaknesses.
The peer group created motivation.
Most importantly, the material covered the syllabus thoroughly, helping him avoid gaps.
This structure gave him confidence inside the exam hall.
LA EXCELLENCE IAS’s Interview Guidance Programme and right mentorship by Dr.Rambabu sir through the DAF filling sessions and Hackathon helped Raghava fill the gaps. The insights given by Rambabu sir have helped Raghava to that extent they were straight away reflected in the APPSC Interview. Raghava credits major part of his success to Dr. Rambabu sir.
Now Raghava is part of La Excellence Core Batch-2025. He is preparing for UPSC CSE – 2026. We heart fully wish him more power and responsibilities through success in his upcoming UPSC exam.
The Final Winning Phase
In the last crucial months, Raghava focused on:
• Revision over new material
• Tests over theory
• Weak areas over comfort zones
• Mental calm over panic
He trusted the process he had built. His belief in his Peer Group and his mentors at La Excellence.
No last-minute chaos.
Only clarity.
Wisdom From His Journey
One mistake to avoid: Running behind too many resources and changing strategy frequently.
One mindset that works: Consistency beats motivation. Every single time.
And his life lesson:
Good times and bad times never last forever.
Hope keeps you moving forward.
Trust yourself — especially when nothing seems to work.
Final Words
Sai Raghava’s journey proves something powerful.
You don’t need privilege.
You don’t need instant success.
What you need is:
✔ Courage to start
✔ Strength to continue
✔ Patience to wait
✔ Discipline to persist
From a migrant worker’s son to Deputy Superintendent of Police – this is not luck.
This is resilience made real.
For more such success stories, you can visit: https://laex.in/category/success-stories/
La Excellence IAS Academy, the best IAS coaching in Hyderabad, known for delivering quality content and conceptual clarity for UPSC 2025 preparation.
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