For RV Karnan; GHMC Commissioner and former IFS topper; it was the green bee-eater. In his 2007 IFS interview, he spoke passionately for five minutes about this colorful little bird. Not because it was in the syllabus; but because he loved it. His deep, unprompted knowledge stood out. And it worked. 6 years later, he cracked UPSC again; this time as an IAS officer (158th rank). Birdwatching wasn’t just a hobby for him; it became his edge. He started observing birds during ragging in forestry college, and today, he’s birded across Corbett, Sundarbans, Western Ghats. His message? Passion isn’t a distraction; it’s a different kind of preparation. Sometimes, the thing you love most is the thing that opens doors you never imagined. Think about that next time you’re told to ‘focus only on the syllabus’.