Balalatha was only a child when she lost the use of her legs to polio. School environments weren’t disability-friendly forcing her to stay at home.
Isolation pushed her into deep self-doubt and depression. Yet these moments planted a seed — she resolved to choose meaning over despair.
Unable to attend regular school, Balalatha was home-schooled. She cleared Classes 10 and 12 as a private candidate, then graduated through distance learning.
Seeing images of civil servants in a magazine ignited her ambition. She believed cracking the UPSC could help her prove her worth — to society and to herself.
Through sleepless nights and self-study, Balalatha cracked the UPSC Civil Services in 2004 with AIR 399 — and again in 2016 with AIR 160.
She served as Deputy Director in the Ministry of Defence for 12 years. Alongside her role, mentoring aspirants became her passion beyond duty.
In 2016, she left government service to coach full-time, founding her academy. Since then, she has trained thousands of students online and offline, with over 100 clearing the UPSC.
“For those still struggling, inhibitions are often self-imposed. Break these inner barriers, and life opens up with limitless possibilities.” — Balalatha Mallavarapu
Balalatha Mallavarapu’s journey is a lesson in consistency, resilience, and inner strength — values every UPSC 2026 aspirant should carry forward.