'Dadaji Hero': 71-year-old man clears CA exam, social media applauds

'Dadaji Hero': 71-year-old man clears CA exam, social media applauds
12 Jul 2025

Tarachand Agarwal, a 71-year-old retired bank manager from Jaipur, has achieved the remarkable feat of clearing the Chartered Accountant (CA) exam.

His name was among the successful candidates in the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) CA Final 2025 results declared on July 6.

Notably, Agarwal's journey back to academics was not for a job or promotion but was inspired by his granddaughter, who was preparing for her own CA exams.

Journey to becoming a CA
Educational path

Agarwal's academic journey started in July 2021 after he was encouraged by his children to pursue CA.

He cleared the foundation in May 2022 and the intermediate in January 2023.

After a setback in his first final attempt in May 2024, he finally succeeded this year. The results were declared on ICAI's website on July 6.

His dedication was evident as he studied for up to 10 hours daily, despite battling shoulder pain.

No coaching classes, only YouTube videos
Study strategy

Agarwal relied on books and YouTube videos for his studies, taking no professional help.

He would sometimes study at his younger son's general store to avoid loneliness.

His elder son Lalit and younger son Amit were instrumental in his journey, providing him with a laptop and supporting him at every step.

"They brought me a laptop, helped with the registration, and supported me at every step," Agarwal said about their encouragement.

38 years of service at the bank
Pre-CA life

Before embarking on his CA journey, Agarwal had a rich career at the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (now SBI).

He joined as a clerk in 1976 and retired as Assistant General Manager in 2014 after 38 years of service.

His story has resonated with many on social media, earning him the affectionate title "Dadaji Hero."

CA Nikhilesh Kataria shared Agarwal's journey on LinkedIn, which went viral with comments like "It is amazing to become a CA at 71."