Cleared JEE, then cracked UPSC, became youngest IAS Officer at 21 later gave up job after few years for…., he is now…

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Many singers in Bollywood have done all sorts of chores before they became famous film stars. However, singing isn’t exclusive to Bollywood.
In the world of classical music, there is one name that stands out: this man first cleared the IIT entrance exam, then cracked the UPSC exam, and served as a civil servant. But, due to his deep love for music, he left his government position and delights audiences on stage. He became a classical singer. His singing videos have recently gone viral on social media platforms. He is…Who is this man who cleared JEE, then cracked UPSC, became the youngest IAS Officer at 21, and later gave up a job after few years?

Kashish Mittal was born in 1989 in the city of Jalandhar to IPS officer Jagdish Kumar and Sangeeta Mittal. Kashish was initiated into Hindustani Classical Music at the age of eight years under Prof. Harvinder Singh, along with his younger brother Lavish. Kashish gave his first performance at the age of eleven at the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammellan in Punjab.

Kashish subsequently moved under the tutelage of Pandit Yashpaul, maestro of the Agra Gharana, as per the Guru Shishya Parampara. He underwent rigorous training under Pt. Yashpaul, and learnt the fine nuances of Khayal gayaki in the Agra Gharana style of singing.

 

 

From where did Kashish Mittal pursue his graduation?

Speaking of his educational qualifications, Kashish completed his B.Tech in Computer Science from the prestigious IIT Delhi. However, his passion for Hindustani classical music made him pursue the performing art all along his academic years at IIT and during his tenure in the IAS.

He proceeded to clear the UPSC Civil Services Exam on the very first attempt, becoming an IAS officer at the age of just 21. It is reported that he cleared the IIT JEE exam with All India Rank(AIR) 6.

“Before joining IIT, Kashish became the only student in the country to clear Indian National Olympiads in Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics, and was awarded Gold Medal in National Physics Olympiad by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Mumbai,” reads the statement on the webpage of Kashish Mittal(https://www.kashishmittal.in/).

Mittal secured an All India Rank(AIR) 58 in the Civil Services Examination and became an IAS officer. After spending nearly nine years in that position, Kashish quit his job to pursue his passion for classical music.

What job positions did Kashish Mittal hold being a civil servant?

Mittal joined the coveted Indian Administrative Service (IAS) at the age of 21, where he held various administrative positions, including Additional Deputy Commissioner Chandigarh, Deputy Commissioner Tawang, and in the office of Vice Chairman, NITI Aayog, Government of India. In 2019, he resigned from his government service. According to his LinkedIn profile, Mittal served as Principal Research PM at Microsoft. In 2025, he co-founded Disha AI.

Kashish’s performances have evoked appreciation and applause from listeners and critics alike. Today, he serves as an inspiration for the younger generation of musicians with his achievements both on and off stage. Kashish continues to enchant audiences with his soulful performances, musical genius, and charismatic stage presence.

Kashish has been conferred with numerous awards & honours, including the Punjab State Award for Art & Culture by Hon’ble Chief Minister Punjab (2007), Saraswati Samman by IIT Delhi (2010), Naad Shri Samman for significant contribution to Hindustani Classical Music (2018), among others.

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