‘Aim to expand digital literacy far and wide’

A lad from Jaipur, Kanishak Kataria (26), has brought laurels to the state by securing first position in civil service exam result announced on Friday. Son of a serving IAS officer Sanwarmal Verma, Kataria’s achievement wasn’t a

cakewalk

. Soon after his B. Tech degree in 2014, he appeared in the civil service exam but failed to clear it. He kept his goal alive during the four years while working in

South Korea

and Mumbai.


How will your B-Tech degree in Computer Science help in your civil service career?
India is on the brink of becoming a superpower with its expertise and innovation in digital world. My aim is to accelerate growth by expanding digital literacy far and wide. It is also becoming a tool for easy access to governance — schemes and policies. My intervention will be to utilise the skills and applications I have gained at IIT-Bombay and my brief experience working with multinationals, to bring an inclusive growth and development. In a nutshell, I would like to see every Indian reaping the benefits of digital revolution.

How has your family background shaped your dream?
My father is a serving IAS officer in Rajasthan. Since childhood, I have seen him working tirelessly for the last man standing. I have grown up witnessing my father’s commitment to work, innovative approach, sensitivity, and utilising resources in a conducive manner has made a strong impression in my mind. My family has always given me freedom to chose my career, which is the reason why I pursued engineering and prepared for the civil service exam.

What is the biggest challenge ahead that you see for India?
I don’t see any major international challenges India is facing, all thanks to our robust foreign policy. We all need to understand the power of a collaborative effort. If we Indians follow some basics, like not littering the roads or public places, half of the problems related to health will not exist. Channelizing human and financial resources towards education is another.

What message would you like to give to aspirants of competitive exams?
First and foremost, always trust your intelligence. By the time we reach in senior classes, we understand our potential on the basis of our aptitude and interest. You have to choose your career path accordingly. Once you have decided your career path, you have to get into the ecosystem of that stream. When I was preparing for the IITs, my aim was not civil services, but it was IIT-Bombay. Similarly, when I decided to appear for the civil services, I quit my lucrative job and prepared for the exam like a student.