Meet IPS Simala Prasad who was once an actor but qualified UPSC with hard work

It is not uncommon to find many UPSC aspirants with backgrounds in engineering, MBBS, or law. However, it is quite rare to come across someone from an acting career who takes on one of India’s toughest exams. Simala Prasad, an IPS officer from the 2010 batch, is one such exception.

Prior to attaining this highly coveted position, Prasad had a keen interest in performing arts, particularly dancing and acting. In fact, she went on to fulfill her dream of becoming an actor and has made a name for herself in Bollywood films such as Alif (2016) and Nakkash (2019).

Originally from Bhopal, Prasad pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and later completed her postgraduate studies in Sociology at Barkatullah University. After completing her education, she successfully cleared the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission exam, which led to her appointment as Deputy Superintendent of Police. It was during this time that she began preparing for the UPSC exam.

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

Interestingly, Prasad comes from a family of civil servants. Her father, Dr. Bhagirath Prasad, was an IAS officer from the 1975 batch, and her mother, Mehrunnisa Parvez, is a prominent author.