After 8-year cancer battle, 4 surgeries and facial paralysis, Chhattisgarh farmer’s son defies odds to crack UPSC

RAIPUR: A battle with cancer delayed the civil services dream of 37-year-old Sanjay Dahariya, son of a farmer from Mahasamund district in Chhattisgarh, for almost a decade. But he overcame the physical trauma and the mental agony, and scripted a success story on both fronts, eventually cracking UPSC 2025 exams with rank 946.

Dahariya's health crisis began in 2011 while he was working with a nationalised bank in Kolkata. A swelling on the right side of his face led to medical consultations, a biopsy and then the dreaded confirmation. The years that followed were marked by repeated medical interventions and the emotional fatigue of recurrence.

Over eight years, he underwent four surgeries, including a major operation in Mumbai in 2013 in which his salivary gland was removed. The procedure left him with permanent paralysis on the right side of his face. He cannot close his right eye; depend on drops to prevent dryness and must keep his face covered while sleeping to prevent dryness in his eye. Also, there is persistent ringing in his ear.

Treatment, Dahariya said, cost him around Rs 15 lakh, adding financial strain to the psychological burden. Yet, the deeper loss, he felt, was time - years when his professional momentum got stalled and personal plans were repeatedly postponed.

Before the battle with cancer reshaped his life, Dahariya's academic record was steady and strong. A Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya student, he was a consistent topper. He later worked for seven years across three public sector banks as an assistant manager, with postings in Kolkata, Raipur and Mahasamund. He resigned in 2019 to focus on recovery, stepping away from the stability he had built.

Stabilising his health through yoga and physiotherapy, Dahariya returned to his long-held goal. In 2022, he moved to a rented room in Raipur, and began preparations.

His days were defined by isolation and discipline, often stretching to 16 hours of study. He said he covered nearly 90% of the syllabus through self-study, travelling to Delhi only for a three-month sociology coaching programme.

He described drawing strength from spiritual teachings and music, and the support he received during treatment. The memory, he said, became a moral obligation that his survival should translate into service. "I want to give back to society," he said.

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