UPSC results: Topper has roots in Patna, two more from Bihar among top 10

PATNA: It was a proud moment for Bihar as two candidates from the state - Buxar's Garima Lohia and Patna's Rahul Srivastava - bagged second and tenth ranks, respectively, in the UPSC civil services examination, the results of which were announced on Tuesday, reports Sheezan Nezami.
Even the first rank holder, Ishita Kishore, has her roots in Patna. Apart from these candidates, several others from the state have also cracked one of the toughest examinations of the country.
Garima's father had died of cardiac failure in 2015 when she had passed her CBSE Class X examination with 10 CGPA from Woodstock High School in Buxar. She passed Class XII from Sunbeam High School in Varanasi and did graduation from Kirorimal College in Delhi.
CM congratulates all successful candidates
However, during Covid-induced lockdown, she returned home and started preparing for the UPSC civil services examination on her mother Sunita Devi's suggestion. Garima told reporters that she used online materials for the preparations. "Consistency is important during the preparation phase," she added.
Though Ishita, the first rank holder was born in Secunderabad in Telangana and settled in Greater Noida, her family has roots in Bihar. Her father, wing commander Sanjay Kishore, was a native of Patna City, while her mother was from Gardanibagh locality of Patna. Ishita's cousin, Khushboo Manoj, recalled how the family used to come to Patna during Chhath.
"It is a very proud moment for all of us," Khushboo told TOI over the phone. JD(U)'s former MLC Ranbeer Nandan, who also knows the family, said, "It feels like a girl from our family has secured the first rank. Ishita's maternal grandfather Banbir Prasad was also a bureaucrat."
Chief minister Nitish Kumar has congratulated all the successful candidates. He said it gives immense happiness that the top four positions have been bagged by the girls. The CM said Garima has brought laurels to the state. "Success of daughters of our country will give inspiration to half of the population," read an official statement issued by the chief minister's office.
Several others from the state have also cracked the examination, including Sandeep Kumar of Madhubani (AIR 24), Shubham of Purnia (AIR 41), Utkarsh Ujjwal of Patna (AIR 68), Sheohar's Prince Kumar (AIR 89) and Madhubani's Akansha Jha (AIR 371).