Mysuru/Kodagu: The results of Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) 2021 exam were announced yesterday. As many as 685 candidates have cracked the exam this time out of which 25 are from Karnataka.

K.T. Meghana, a visually challenged girl from Kudukuru near Bettadapura, Periyapatna taluk, has bagged 425th rank.

Daughter of K.N. Tandavamurthy and Navaneetha couple, Meghana is presently working as Assistant Director in Treasury Department at ‘Kandaya Bhavan’ in Kengeri, Bengaluru after clearing her KPSC exam in 2015 securing 11th rank.

Meghana is suffering from 90 percent vision loss, after developing a retina problem while she was pursuing SSLC. She completed her schooling at Jnanabodhini High School, PUC at Jain College and Degree at Surana College, all in Bengaluru and MA in English through distance education.

Meghana managed to prepare herself for Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) and Indian Administrative Service (IAS), while working for a multinational company. She undertook training at Rajkumar IAS Academy and secured 465th rank in UPSC-2020. Aiming to secure a rank within 400 in UPSC so that she can serve as an IAS Officer in her motherland, Meghana has decided to take up UPSC exam next year also.

Rajesh Ponnappa, son of Mundanda Jaya Poovaiah and Sudha Poovaiah of Nelji village in Madikeri, managed to secure 222nd rank in UPSC this year in his third attempt. He is a Mechanical Engineer and a law graduate. Apart from preparing for UPSC, Rajesh provided guidance to a few aspirants who were also preparing along with him.