Chennai: Until a decade ago, the IAS, IPS aspirants used to look up to Delhi academies for IAS coaching and would travel to the national capital to prepare for the UPSC civil services exam.
D. Shankar, an unsuccessful civil services aspirant has played a major role in turning the city as a civil services preparation hub of south India and caused a reverse migration where students from North began travelling to Tamil Nadu for preparing for the exams.
Thousands of civil service aspirants who turned up at his academy on Friday to pay their last respects were in disbelief and shock as they could not believe that their motivator had resorted to such an extreme step.
Mr.Shankar has launched Shankar IAS Academy in 2004 with only 34 students in Chennai. Now, it has grown myriad times with 3,000 civil service aspirants enrolling at various centres within and outside Tamil Nadu.
On an average, over 50 students from his academy are entering into various services every year, including IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS. In the last 13 years, over 600 officers have come out from his academy and currently serving in various states.
T.Indrakumar, a mechanical engineer and a civil service aspirant at Shankar IAS Academy, said “We could not believe as he was such a positive person and a good motivator. No one in the city can teach geography subject better than him.”
“During the early 1990s, the aspirants’ group will look forward to the Delhi circle for preparation. He changed it and brought civil service aspirants towards Chennai,” said T.Udhayachandran, Commissioner of Archaeology. His academy attracted students from rural areas of the state and aspirants from other states as well.
“To create such an eco-system in Chennai has turned out an advantage to local students, especially those from rural areas cleared UPSC in good numbers. Access to the IAS coaching has become easier,” he said.
He also recalled his social commitment to taking up the issues with regard to changes in UPSC exams that would affect the interests of rural students.
“It’s a major loss to the state and especially to the civil service aspirants,” Mr.Udhayachandran said. A. Kulothungan, a Goa-cadre IAS officer said the number of students entering into civil service in Tamil Nadu has increased after 2007 because of Shankar.
“Due to his academy, Anna Nagar became famous for IAS coaching like Rajendra Nagar in Delhi. The number of aspirants going to Delhi for preparation has also come down and Chennai became the hub for IAS coaching,” he added. He also encouraged Tamil medium students and rural students to enter into civil services.
“He gave confidence to rural and Tamil medium students. I owe my service to him as he did not collect any coaching fees after knowing my poor background,” Mr.Kulothungan said.
M.Pratap, an IAS officer currently serving as an assistant collector in Tiruvannamalai said Shankar was a good mentor and his death is a loss to civil service aspirants.
“He created good environment and infrastructure to civil service aspirants in the state. While making the Tamil Nadu students to stay in Chennai for IAS preparation, he also caused a reverse migration in which students from North came to Chennai for civil services preparation,” he said.
Rajesh from Tirunelveli had enrolled for IAS coaching in June at Shankar IAS academy. He said, “No one can replace Shankar as he was a good teacher. After finishing the class on Wednesday he informed us that his Oceanography class on Friday was not to be missed. And those who miss it would miss a very important chapter in IAS preparation. But, he is not here among us.”
