Meet IPS officer, who has acted in Bollywood films, then cracked UPSC exam in first attempt, she is...

You might find many UPSC aspirants coming from an engineering, MBBS, or law background. But it’s very rare when someone from an acting career dives into taking one of India’s toughest exams. Simala Prasad is an IPS officer of the 2010 batch. However, before attaining the country’s most desired position, Prasad was interested in performing arts like dancing and acting. Later in her life, she also fulfilled her dream of becoming an actor. She is known for her work in Bollywood films like Alif (2016) and Nakkash (2019).

Hailing from Bhopal, Prasad pursued a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and later completed her postgraduation in Sociology from Barkatullah University. 

After concluding her education, she successfully aced the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission exam, which pushed her to the reputed position of Deputy Superintendent of Police. During this, she also started preparing for the UPSC exam.

Remarkably, in her very first attempt, she successfully cracked the UPSC exam and became an IPS officer.

Interestingly, Prasad also comes from a background of IS officers. She is the daughter of Dr Bhagirath Prasad who was an IAS officer of the 1975 batch. She is also the daughter of prominent author Mehrunnisa Parvez.