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Kanishak Kataria (UPSC/IAS Topper 2018) Biography: Age, Career, Family

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 5, 2026 • 3 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth26 September 1992

Age26 Years (as in 2019)

BirthplaceJaipur, Rajasthan, India

ProfessionIAS (UPSC Topper 2018) / Former data scientist/data analyst

NationalityIndian

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Sanwar Mal Verma (Promotee IAS), Mother - Housewife, Sister - Tanmaya Kataria

Kanishak Kataria (UPSC/IAS Topper 2018) Biography

Kanishak Kataria, an IIT Bombay alumnus, secured the top rank in the 2018 UPSC Civil Services Examination on his first attempt. Born and raised in Jaipur,‌

Early life and background

Kanishak Kataria was born on 26 September 1992 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Raised in a family that did not press him toward any particular profession, he displayed strong academic performance from an early age, earning 94 percent in his Class 10 board exams and 96 percent in Class 12. He grew up in Jaipur and completed his schooling at St. Paul’s Senior Secondary School in Kota, Rajasthan.

After finishing school, Kanishak secured the 44th rank in the highly competitive IIT JEE in 2010 and went on to study at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay from 2010 to 2014. He graduated with a B.Tech degree in Computer Science and Engineering. His background is Hindu and he belongs to the Balai community (Scheduled Caste).

Career

Following graduation, Kanishak worked in the private sector. His roles included positions as a data scientist with Samsung in South Korea and later as a data analyst at a startup in Bangalore. He also had an opportunity to work with a company in the United States. Despite these international and corporate experiences, he chose to leave paid employment in 2017 to prepare for the civil services examination.

Kanishak prepared intensively for UPSC, studying around 8 to 10 hours daily during most of his preparation and extending that to about 15 hours a day in the final two months before the exam. He took coaching in Delhi and chose Mathematics as his optional subject. In 2018, appearing in the UPSC Civil Services Examination for the first time, he achieved the All India Rank 1 result.

Public profile

After the results were announced, Kanishak expressed surprise at topping the exam and publicly thanked his parents, his sister, and his girlfriend for moral support. His father, Sanwar Mal Verma, is noted as a promotee IAS officer. His elder sister, Tanmaya Kataria, was studying medicine at Sawai Man Singh Hospital. Kanishak has described his father as a role model and is known by family and acquaintances as a quiet, calm person with a small circle of friends.

Outside of academics and work, Kanishak is an avid sports fan who enjoys watching cricket, football, and tennis. He has cited Sachin Tendulkar as an all-time favourite cricketer and has listed contemporary players such as Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers among his current favourites.

Personal life

Kanishak was unmarried as of the information available in the excerpt. He has been reported to be in a relationship with Sonal Chouhan, who is identified as a software developer. His parents include his father, Sanwar Mal Verma, and his mother, who is described as a housewife. No brothers are listed in the available details.

Some notable points about his journey

Kanishak topped the UPSC examination on his first attempt, an achievement he found unexpected. He has remarked on the personal decision to shift from a lucrative private-sector career to public service preparation, saying he felt he was making money but not serving the country, which prompted his change in direction. His disciplined study routine and targeted coaching in Delhi were key elements of his preparation strategy.

Latest updates

Following his announcement as the UPSC 2018 topper, Kanishak received widespread attention and congratulations online, including positive reactions when he acknowledged the role of his girlfriend and family in his success.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Kanishak Kataria (UPSC/IAS Topper 2018), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded
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Recent Work

UPSC Civil Services Examination

All India Rank 1, 2018; topped the exam in his first attempt with Mathematics as optional subject.

2018
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Career Highlights

  1. Topped the UPSC Civil Services Examination (All India Rank 1) in 2018 on his first attempt
  2. B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering from IIT Bombay (2010–2014)
  3. Worked as a data scientist at Samsung in South Korea and as a data analyst at a Bangalore startup
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Kanishak Kataria (UPSC/IAS Topper 2018) born?

Kanishak Kataria (UPSC/IAS Topper 2018) was born on 26 September 1992.

What is Kanishak Kataria (UPSC/IAS Topper 2018) known for?

Kanishak Kataria (UPSC/IAS Topper 2018) is known for iAS (UPSC Topper 2018) / Former data scientist/data analyst.

What is Kanishak Kataria (UPSC/IAS Topper 2018)’s marital status?

Kanishak Kataria (UPSC/IAS Topper 2018)'s marital status is listed as Unmarried.