In 2019, she was celebrated as a beacon of brilliance, a role model for millions of aspirants, and the face of “honest governance’s future.” Fast forward to 2025, and Srushti Jayant Deshmukh – UPSC 2019’s air 5 and the poster girl of perseverance – has been caught red-handed accepting a ₹10 crore bribe. The halo of “nation’s pride” has shattered into a scandal of greed, betrayal, and irony so sharp it could slice through steel.
1. The Rise
She wasn’t just another topper. She was the topper among women in 2019, celebrated in newspapers, magazines, and YouTube motivational channels. Srushti was the symbol of “study hard, serve the nation” – the IAS dream in human form.
2. The Worship
Parents quoted her name at the dining tables. Coaching institutes milked her face for advertisements. She became a cultural icon for middle-class India’s obsession with “sarkari success.”
3. The Power
In six years of service, she climbed the ladder with influence and prestige. Every file she touched carried weight, every signature meant millions. And power, as history shows, is the ultimate test of character.
4. The Fall
2025. An anti-corruption sting operation. The same hands that once held “Ethics in Governance” textbooks were caught clutching bundles of cash – ₹10 crore in bribe money. The face that once smiled on Republic Day felicitation stages now stared at cameras in disgrace.
5. The Betrayal
For aspirants who memorized her strategies, for parents who saw her as proof that honesty pays, for citizens who believed in the UPSC’s sanctity – this wasn’t just a fall. It was a stab in the back.
6. The Irony
UPSC’s Ethics paper asks: “Is integrity more important than success?” In 2019, she wrote answers that got her an air 5. In 2025, she wrote her own downfall.
7. The Legacy
Her story will not be remembered for motivation anymore. It will be remembered as a cautionary tale: Topping an exam can make you powerful. But failing the test of character can destroy you forever.
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