After a 13-year wait for Nagaland, Richard Yanthan brought laurels to the state by cracking the premier UPSC exam 2019, the results of which were declared on Tuesday.
He topped the list of successful SC/ST candidates by securing 133th rank in the overall category. He is set to be the first Naga IAS officer since 2007 through open competition.
Son of late James Chenithing Yanthan from Lakhuti village in Wokha district of Nagaland, 27-year-old Richard is a Nagaland Civil Service officer and currently posted as extra assistant commissioner in Nagaland House in Delhi.
He cleared the Nagaland Public Service Commission exam in 2018.
Sources said his mother is currently serving as deputy secretary (supply branch) in Nagaland secretariat.
Kesonyu Yhome was the last Naga from Nagaland to become an IAS officer in 2007.
However, Swapneel Paul from Dimapur also cleared the UPSC exams in 2017. He secured 64th rank among the successful candidates.