Daijiworld Media Network – Dharwad (MS)

Dharwad, Jan 7: Viraj S Hosur, driven by his childhood passion for nature and animals, pursued his dream of becoming a DFO (Divisional Forest Officer) to contribute to forest conservation. Accompanying his father to the zoo and the forest during his early years, Viraj realized the vital role of forests for human survival and witnessed the ongoing destruction of these ecosystems.

Viraj's journey to success in the UPSC IFS (Indian Forest Service) 2022 examinations was marked by determination and persistence. Despite facing multiple failures, he secured AIR (All India Rank) 9. Currently undergoing training at IGNFA (Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy) in Dehradun after completing his foundation course at LBSNAA (Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration), Viraj is on his way to realizing his childhood dream.

A native of Dharwad in Karnataka, Viraj pursued mechanical engineering at RV College of Engineering in Bengaluru. After completing his B.Tech, he moved to Delhi for IFS examination coaching in 2014. Choosing forest service, an unconventional option among most IAS candidates, Viraj faced challenges on his path to success.

Initiating his journey in 2015, Viraj cleared the UPSC prelims and took the mains. Despite facing setbacks in his second and third attempts, he continued his pursuit. Following his third attempt, he briefly joined the workforce but soon realized that IFS was his true calling.

In his fourth attempt in 2019, Viraj cleared the prelims but fell short in securing the cut-off for IFS. The trend continued in 2020. Taking another break, he took up a job in an education technology company and got married. Viraj credits his inspiration to pursue UPSC again to his wife and family.

Determined to focus solely on IFS without considering alternative sectors within UPSC, Viraj's unwavering dedication paid off, securing him AIR 9. Given the home cadre of Karnataka, he is eager to return to his home state after completing training. Viraj aims to raise awareness about the crucial need for forest conservation among the people.