DRIVER’S SON FROM UTTARAKHAND BAGS TOP RANK IN CDS

(The Quiver): Himanshu Pandey, a 22-year-old engineering graduate from Haldwani, Uttarakhand, whose father works as a driver, has secured All India Rank (AIR) 1 in the Combined Defence Services (CDS) examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, results of which were declared on Friday. Pandey has been selected for Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun.

During an interaction Pandey said, “I wanted to serve the country since childhood. There was no other option for me. I focused solely on CDS preparations and kept going even after failing to make it several times,” he said, adding he wanted to thank his parents and coaching institute teachers in Haldwani.

Pandey’s father Kamal Pandey works as a driver in the private sector and mother Deepika Pandey is a homemaker. He secured 95% marks in class 12th boards at ABM School, Haldwani and did his BTech from Dwarahat Engineering College.This was Pandey’s third attempt at CDS. He started preparing for the exam in 2017 and had cleared it twice before, but failed to clear the medical test due to some dental issues. This time though, he cleared both the CDS and Services Selection Board (SSB), clinching the 24th rank at IMA and 13th rank at Indian Navy Academy.

I wasn’t expecting AIR 1, I was ecstatic after seeing the results. It was a collaborative effort and I would like to thank everyone who supported me. I want to tell everyone to believe in their dreams and work hard towards them. Even in the worst-case scenario, a person gains valuable lessons,” Pandey said in a video message after the results were released.

Meanwhile, 22-year-old Vinay Punetha from a village in Pithoragarh secured the 10th rank in CDS.