(Topper) Bharat Patel (12th Rank)- UPSC gets a taste of Patel power

TOPPER : Bharat Patel (12th Rank)- UPSC gets a taste of Patel power

At 26, Bharat Patel has only one burning ambition in life - making it to the Indian Administrative Service. But he’s no slick city youngster gunning for a high-flying career in the civil services.

Bharat is a farmer’s son from Nanivavdi village in Morbi, who moved lock, stock and barrel to Ahmedabad three years ago to prepare for IAS exams to chase his dream. A dream which Dhaval Patel, the son of a taluka development officer, has just realised by standing 12th in the UPSC list this year - the highest rank ever by a candidate from Gujarat. "I have appeared for the GPSC exams this year and am confident of getting through UPSC next year," says Bharat.

Scores of young Patels like him are chucking a life ploughing their fields for a chance to rule the corridors of power. A silent revolution is sweeping the predominantly agrarian Patel community across arid Saurashtra that has seen the mushrooming of nearly 16 IAS training centres in far-flung places like Dhrol and Jam Khambhaliya in the last five years or so.

This explains why out of the five Patels who have cleared UPSC in the last 15 years, four have made it in the last four years. Most of these centres teach Patel students free of cost and retired Gujarati babus offer honorary services.

Interestingly, this drive to groom Patel youth for civil services has the financial support of top guns of Gujarat Inc like Nirma’s Karsanbhai Patel, Suzlon’s Tulsi Tanti and Ajanta-Orpat’s Odhavji Raghavji Patel. "With farm land shrinking and increasing awareness about good education, there is a craze among Patels to become officers," admits Odhavji who runs half a dozen IAS training centres.

Being well-off, Patels can afford to let their children pursue their dreams, adds Haribhai Patel, retired IAS officer and honorary director of a training centre at Sola, Ahmedabad.

Courtesy : timesofindia.indiatimes.com