Basavaraj Dhareppa Kempawad from Athani in Belagavi secures All India First Rank in UPSC Indian Forest Service Exam | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Basavaraj Dhareppa Kempawad from Athani in Belagavi secured the all-India topper in the UPSC Indian Forest Service exam, the results of which were declared on Saturday. This was his second attempt.
Mr. Kempawad ranked first among 148 recommended candidates across the country. He is a Forestry graduate from the College of Forestry at Sirsi of Uttara Kannada. His father Dhareppa Kempawad is a farmer in Savadi village near Athani.
After primary school in Savadi From class 6 to 10, Basavaraj Kempawad studied at Morarji Desai Residential School at Alagavadi in Raibag taluk. He did PU from Yallatti in Jamkhandi taluk of Bagalkot district and moved to Sirsi for B.c. He joined a group of friends in Bengaluru to study for the UPSC Civil Services exams.
He told reporters that he was very happy to see his family members and villagers happy about his success. “I come from an ordinary farming family in a rural area. I passed the exam without resorting to any special courses. I am sure my success will inspire several other youngsters to attempt such exams,” he said.
Published – 10 May 2026 07:00 IST
