Determined to improve, Teja sought handwriting lessons from a local teacher, practiced daily for hours, and underwent rigorous training under a senior IAS officer who assigned him 365 timed exams over a year. He also honed his communication by teaching at a coaching institute

In a captivating address at the Rotary District 3020 Conference held in Vijayawada, IAS officer M.V.R. Krishna Teja shared his personal journey of overcoming repeated failures to achieve success in the civil services, while highlighting his efforts to support COVID-orphaned children in Kerala. The speech, delivered on December 31, 2025, resonated with attendees, drawing praise for its motivational depth and call to action for community service.

Krishna Teja, a 2015-batch IAS officer currently serving as Director Panchayat & Rural Development began by recounting his early academic triumphs as a topper in 10th grade, intermediate, and engineering from Andhra Pradesh. Despite securing a high-paying IT job, he was inspired by a roommate to pursue the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). "IAS is not just any job; it is a service," Teja emphasized, reflecting on his initial motivation.

However, the path was fraught with setbacks. Teja candidly described failing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam three times, which shattered his confidence. He credited a pivotal moment to feedback from what he termed his "enemies"—critics who pinpointed his weaknesses: poor handwriting, a point-based answer style unsuitable for UPSC mains, and inadequate interview skills. "The work of enemies is to observe us 24 hours and identify negatives," Teja noted, underscoring how this harsh insight propelled him forward.

Determined to improve, Teja sought handwriting lessons from a local teacher, practiced daily for hours, and underwent rigorous training under a senior IAS officer who assigned him 365 timed exams over a year. He also honed his communication by teaching at a coaching institute. On his fourth attempt, Teja secured an All India Rank of 66 and was allotted the Kerala cadre. Transitioning to his professional experiences, Teja shared heartwarming anecdotes from his tenure. As District Collector in Alappuzha, Kerala, his first official act was declaring a school holiday due to rain, earning him the affectionate title "Collector uncle" from local children. This led to deeper engagements, including helping a girl orphaned by COVID-19 pursue nursing by securing sponsorship from Telugu actor Allu Arjun. Expanding this initiative, Teja conducted surveys and mobilized sponsors for 293 COVID orphans in Alappuzha and 609 in Thrissur, ensuring their education continued uninterrupted—a total of around 1,000 children supported.

Teja expressed profound gratitude to the Rotary community, revealing that 100-150 Rotarians had sponsored children in his programs. "Because of your participation, I thought I should share and personally thank the fraternity of Rotarians," he said. He urged the audience to extend similar support in their regions, noting that COVID's impact on families extends beyond Kerala to areas like Vijayawada and Guntur.

The speech, lasting about 18 minutes, received widespread acclaim on social media, with many calling it "the best speech I’ve ever heard—thoughtful, grounded, and truly inspiring." Attendees at the conference, sponsored by Vega Jewellery and MG Morris Garages, applauded Teja's blend of personal resilience and public service ethos. Many rotary members commended Teja's address, stating it aligned perfectly with Rotary's motto of "Service Above Self." The event highlighted ongoing collaborations between government officials and civic organizations to address post-pandemic challenges. As India continues to recover from COVID-19's lingering effects, Teja's story serves as a reminder of the power of perseverance and collective action in uplifting vulnerable communities.