Bengaluru, May 9 -- In a proud moment for Karnataka, Basavaraj Dareppa Kempwad from Savadi village in Athani taluk of Belagavi district has secured All India First Rank in the Indian Forest Service (IFS) examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.

The UPSC announced the results on Friday, May 8, and Basavaraj's achievement has drawn widespread appreciation across the state. Hailing from a humble farming family, the 25-year-old cracked the prestigious examination in his second attempt alone through consistent hard work and self-study.

Basavaraj completed his primary education in his native village before continuing his studies in the town of Athani. He later pursued his graduate studies in Forestry at a college in Sirsi...