UPSC topper Anuj Agnihotri shares the Bollywood song he had prepared for final interview. Hint: It's an Adnan Sami hit

Imagine standing on the precipice of India’s toughest academic summit, not with a stack of files, but with a classic Bollywood melody ready on your lips. For Dr. Anuj Agnihotri, the newly minted topper of the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025, the journey from the wards of AIIMS Jodhpur to the pinnacle of the civil services was defined by a mix of rigorous medical discipline and an unexpected sense of humor. His story is a masterclass in persistence.

Speaking with NDTV, he shared that he had actually prepared a song specifically for the interview stage in case he was asked to perform. He demonstrated his vocal preparation by singing a few lines of Adnan Sami’s hit, "Mujhko bhi to lift kara de," a choice that seems almost prophetic given his massive "lift" to the very top of the merit list.

Topping UPSC wasn't a sudden stroke of luck, but the culmination of a three-year odyssey. Agnihotri’s history with the UPSC includes 3 attempts. In 2023, his first attempt earned him selection for the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Services (DANICS), where he currently trains as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Delhi. His second attempt saw success in the Mains examination, though he fell short at the interview stage. Persistence paid off on his third attempt, where he emerged as the country’s top-ranked candidate.

From Jodhpur to the capital

Hailing from a village in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, Agnihotri’s academic foundation is as solid as they come. According to PTI, he is a medical professional who earned his MBBS from the prestigious AIIMS Jodhpur in 2023. Rather than pursuing a traditional clinical career, he pivoted toward public service immediately after finishing his degree.


His transition into the bureaucracy was already underway before this latest result. Reports from IANS indicate that he had been serving as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Delhi since joining the DANICS cadre in December 2024. Despite already being a high-ranking officer, his drive to reach the top tier of the services kept him in the race.

The philosophy of a topper

Reflecting on his journey, Agnihotri told PTI that the feeling of success is still sinking in. He noted that the process of becoming the national topper requires a significant amount of mental processing. He attributed part of his success to his ability to learn through diverse conversations with various people. He maintained a resilient mindset throughout, noting that if he had failed this time, he was fully prepared to attempt the exam again.