Son of a daily wage worker from Chennai who cracked UPSC CDS to join the Indian Army

Story of Chennai's Lt. Varaprasad

In a small home in Vyasarpadi, Chennai, a boy named Varaprasad saw his parents leave every morning to work as daily wage workers. They worked with their hands to put food on the table and dreams in their son's heart. They didn't have much to give him except one powerful lesson, the value of hard work.

Life was not easy. There was a time after 10th class when the family couldn’t afford his education. For a whole year, he couldn't go to school. But Varaprasad didn't lose hope. He took up small jobs, studied whenever he could and never let his dreams fade.

Read Also - Inspiring story of Rakesh Yadav: How his mother’s dream made him an SSC maths master

With incredible effort, he not only finished school but topped it. He loved learning so much that he earned a Bachelor's degree, then a Master's in Economics. He was so good that he qualified to become a professor and even got a fully-funded offer to do a PhD at IIM. Most people would have chosen that comfortable path.

But Varaprasad had a different dream, one that required a uniform, not a professor's coat.

He decided to serve his country. He started preparing for the UPSC CDS exam, one of the toughest entrance tests for the Indian Army. While others his age were building careers, he was building discipline. While others sought comfort, he sought challenge.

On September 6, 2025, a moment of pride arrived. Varaprasad stood tall at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, a lieutenant in the Indian Army. His parents, who once worked daily wages to support him, watched with tears in their eyes as their son became an officer.

When asked about his journey, he said simply, "I am from a lower-middle-class family. My parents are daily wage workers. Since childhood, I had an interest in education. I wanted to keep learning. But I also wanted to serve."

Read Also - Inside Rs 1.5 crore fee school that rejects more students than IIT, MIT and Harvard

Today, Lieutenant Varaprasad is part of the Army Ordinance Corps, attached to the 9th Rajput regiment.

His story isn't about marks, exams, or ranks. It's about a boy who refused to let his circumstances define his future. It's about a family that believed in education. It's about a young man who chose service over comfort.