Umerkote,3rd Oct 2025: Rashmi Ranjan Pujari (24), a resident of Khanda village near Umerkote town in the tribal-dominated Nabarangpur district, has brought pride to the entire Umerkote region by successfully clearing the Odisha Civil Services Examination in his very first attempt.
Rashmi secured the 370th rank in the Odisha Administrative Services (OAS) exam. From a young age, he was a bright student. He studied from Class 1 to 8 at Sishu Mandir in Umerkote, and continued his 9th and 10th grades at Adhukhari Guda Panchayat High School.
Later, he completed his higher secondary education at Keshab Dham Gati Raut Sishu Mandir in Cuttack and went on to earn his Bachelor’s degree in Forest Management from the College of Agriculture under OUAT, Bhubaneswar. Currently, he is a final-year postgraduate student in Natural Resources.
His father, Jaladhar Pujari, works as a Postmaster at the Khanda branch post office, while his mother, Kunti Pujari, is the headmistress of Kumibeda Primary School. Rashmi has three sisters.
Rashmi stated that he aims to work towards eliminating corruption, ensuring the development of tribal communities, and empowering marginalized and underrepresented sections of society to ensure their participation in all spheres.