India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has announced scholarships for 1,000 UPSC Civil Services aspirants as part of a new initiative aimed at supporting students from Kerala. The programme was unveiled on September 10, 2026, at the Lead India Summit in Thiruvananthapuram. The initiative has been launched by the Sanju Samson Foundation in collaboration with Lead IAS Academy.

It will particularly focus on students from Vizhinjam, Samson’s hometown, and neighbouring coastal regions of Kerala, giving aspiring civil servants access to structured preparation and mentorship. Speaking at the summit, Samson opened up about mistakes, setbacks and the importance of self-awareness. Drawing from his own experiences as a professional cricketer, he explained how acknowledging mistakes can help individuals improve rather than allowing repeated errors to become a habit.

“Despite needing to be at practice at 6am, I have overslept till 7. I have made mistakes. Making mistakes isn’t the problem. Repeating the same thing over and over again is. To err is human, but what’s in our hands is how many times we repeat. You need to be honest with yourself,” Sanju Samson was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

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He also stressed the importance of quickly recovering from distractions and difficult phases. “It’s very human to relax, it’s very human to be distracted but it’s important to come back soon. When you’re falling down, you feel you need to grow. The starting point is always accepting that you’re down,” he added.

Samson credited the mentors and family members who played important roles throughout his cricketing journey. He specifically highlighted former India head coach Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni, while also remembering his father’s influence during his early years.

“It’s important to have good people around you. It might be your friends, parents or mentors. I’ve been lucky to have the greatest mentor a cricketer could dream of. Rahul sir, Sachin sir and now Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) at Chennai Super Kings. My dad was my mentor growing up,” Sanju Samson said.

Sanju Samson’s Big Initiative :
1,000 UPSC SCHOLARSHIPS WITH LEAD IAS ACADEMY

At the Lead India Summit, Sanju Samson announced scholarships for 1,000 talented students across India to pursue UPSC Civil Services coaching.

The initiative aims to ensure that financial limitations… pic.twitter.com/NHxC9PlpPp

— Sanju Samson Fans Page (@SanjuSamsonFP) September 8, 2026

The scholarship programme will go beyond conventional UPSC coaching. Along with structured preparation, selected students will receive personalised mentorship and training in communication, personality development, critical thinking and leadership.

Lead IAS Academy is supported by experienced former civil servants, including Rishiraj Singh, former DGP of Kerala; V.V. Lakshmi Narayana, former Joint Director of the CBI; Anil Swarup, former Secretary of the Department of School Education; and T.P. Sreenivasan, former Ambassador. Sanju Samson also recalled the pressure of playing in front of home crowds in Thiruvananthapuram.

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“I have stepped out in Trivandrum to bat with the crowds shouting, ‘Sanju, we want 100’.” He explained that dealing with such expectations requires mental strength, something that can also prove valuable for UPSC aspirants facing pressure during their preparation.

Sanju Samson further revealed how Dravid helped him understand the reasons behind his struggles despite extensive practice. He believes having the right mentor can provide clarity when self-doubt begins to affect progress. Through the scholarship initiative, Samson hopes to extend that same quality of guidance to aspiring civil servants from coastal Kerala and help them pursue their ambitions with greater confidence.