Saloni Khanna IAS — as she is popularly known — was born in 1989 in Delhi, India. She hails from a middle-class Khatri family, belonging specifically to the Dhai Ghar sub-community, a respected group with deep roots in education and public service values. Her father worked in the banking sector, instilling in her from a young age the virtues of discipline, financial literacy, and service orientation.
Her Saloni Khanna age as of 2025 is 36 years. Despite her relatively young age, she has already built a career spanning academia, government research, entrepreneurship, and UPSC mentorship — a rare combination that makes her story genuinely inspiring.
Quick Facts Summary
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dr. Saloni Khanna |
| Popular Name | Saloni Khanna IAS / Saloni Khanna UPSC |
| Date of Birth | 1989 |
| Age (2025) | 36 Years |
| Birth Place | Delhi, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Caste / Community | Khatri (Dhai Ghar sub-group) |
| Zodiac Sign | Not publicly disclosed |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | Civil Servant (UPSC Cleared – Self Study) |
| Son | Abeer Khanna |
| Profession | Economist, Assistant Professor, UPSC Mock Interviewer, Entrepreneur, Influencer |
| Current Position | Asst. Professor, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Evening College, Delhi University |
| UPSC Role | Mock Interviewer – Drishti IAS & Sarrthi IAS |
| Organisation | Skill Up Foundation (Co-Founder) |
| Net Worth (Est.) | ₹1–2 Crore |
| Instagram Followers | 296K+ |
| Education | BA Hons Economics (Hansraj College, DU) + MA Economics (HGU) + PhD (pursuing, DU) |
Family & Personal Life
Is Saloni Khanna IAS married? Yes. Saloni Khanna is married to a civil servant who cleared the UPSC examination entirely through self-study, without joining any coaching institute. His inspiring journey is proof that coaching is not mandatory to succeed in UPSC — a message Saloni herself champions passionately.
The couple has a son named Abeer. Saloni is known to be deeply protective of her family’s privacy. She rarely shares personal details publicly, choosing instead to let her professional achievements speak for themselves.
| Family Member | Details |
|---|---|
| Father | Worked in Banking Sector |
| Mother | Information not public |
| Saloni Khanna IAS Husband | Civil Servant (UPSC cleared via self-study) |
| Children | Son – Abeer |
| Marital Status | Married |
“My husband cleared UPSC without coaching. If that doesn’t inspire you, I don’t know what will.” — Saloni Khanna (paraphrased from public sessions)
Educational Background
Saloni Khanna UPSC educator credentials are deeply rooted in her own exceptional academic journey. She pursued economics with unwavering focus, earning degrees from some of India’s most prestigious institutions.
| Degree | Institution | Year | Specialisation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA Hons (Economics) | Hansraj College, University of Delhi | 2010–2013 | Economics |
| MA (Economics) | Himalayan Garhwal University (HGU) | 2016–2018 | Indian Economy, Macroeconomics, Rural Energy |
| PhD (Pursuing) | University of Delhi | Ongoing | Skill Development and Employment in India |
Hansraj College is one of Delhi University’s crown jewels — consistently ranked among India’s top undergraduate colleges. Saloni’s choice of economics as her core subject aligned perfectly with her future career as an economist, UPSC interviewer, and policy commentator.
Her PhD research topic — Skill Development and Employment in India — is not just academically rigorous but is deeply connected to the grassroots work she does through the Skill Up Foundation.
Physical Statistics
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Saloni Khanna Height | Approximately 5 ft 4 in (estimated) |
| Weight | Not publicly disclosed |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Body Type | Slim |
| Complexion | Wheatish |
Career Timeline – Saloni Khanna UPSC & Professional Journey
Saloni Khanna began building her career through internships while still a student — a testament to her proactive and ambitious nature. Here is a year-by-year breakdown of her professional journey:
| Year | Role / Milestone | Organisation |
|---|---|---|
| 2010–2013 | BA Hons Economics | Hansraj College, Delhi University |
| During Studies | Internship – Finance Domain | Religare Wellness |
| During Studies | Internship – Social Work | CARE India |
| During Studies | Youth Ambassador / Influencer | Adidas Originals & Vogue Magazine |
| 2015–2017 | Research Specialist | Government of India |
| 2016–2018 | MA Economics (Part-time / Parallel) | Himalayan Garhwal University |
| Post 2017 | Senior Consultant | Team Builders India |
| Post 2018 | Product Manager | Bajaj Capital |
| 2021 | Assistant Professor, Economics | Shaheed Bhagat Singh Evening College, DU |
| 2021 | Co-Founded Skill Up Foundation | Skill Up Foundation |
| Ongoing | Mock Interviewer – UPSC Personality Test | Drishti IAS & Sarrthi IAS |
| Ongoing | PhD Researcher | University of Delhi |
| 2024–25 | Expanded YouTube & Social Media Presence | Self – Digital Educator |
Major Achievements & Recognition
| Year | Achievement / Recognition | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2015–2017 | Government Research Specialist | Contributed to Government of India policy research |
| 2021 | Founded Skill Up Foundation | Helped UPSC aspirants transition into corporate careers |
| 2021 | Joined Delhi University Faculty | Assistant Professor of Economics, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College |
| Ongoing | Drishti IAS Mock Interviewer | Helped hundreds crack UPSC Personality Test |
| Ongoing | 296K+ Instagram Followers | One of India’s top UPSC digital educators |
| 2024 | YouTube Expansion | Scaled educational content for UPSC aspirants nationwide |
| Ongoing | PhD Research Recognition | Researching Skill Development & Employment in India |
Administrative & Professional Positions Held
| Position | Organisation | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Intern – Finance | Religare Wellness | During UG |
| Intern – Social Sector | CARE India | During UG |
| Youth Ambassador | Adidas Originals | During UG |
| Youth Influencer | Vogue Magazine | During UG |
| Research Specialist | Government of India | 2015–2017 |
| Senior Consultant | Team Builders India | Post 2017 |
| Product Manager | Bajaj Capital | Post 2018 |
| Assistant Professor – Economics | Shaheed Bhagat Singh Evening College, DU | 2021–Present |
| Co-Founder | Skill Up Foundation | 2021–Present |
| Mock Interview Panelist | Drishti IAS | Ongoing |
| Mock Interview Panelist | Sarrthi IAS | Ongoing |
| PhD Scholar | University of Delhi | Ongoing |
Special Distinctions
- Not an IAS officer — yet more influential than many: Saloni Khanna is one of the rare examples of a person who chose to create IAS officers rather than become one — and built a larger impact in the process.
- One of the first women to gain mass social media following exclusively as a UPSC mock interview expert.
- Founder of Skill Up Foundation — addressing the “UPSC dropout” crisis, which affects millions but is rarely talked about.
- Bridged academia and UPSC coaching by maintaining her role as a University Professor while simultaneously mentoring civil service aspirants.
- PhD on Skill Development — her research directly aligns with national employment policy, making her both practitioner and scholar.
Career Philosophy & Vision
Saloni Khanna UPSC educator is guided by a few core principles:
- Education is Service: Teaching is not just a profession — it is a form of public service.
- Failure is Not the End: The Skill Up Foundation was born from this belief. UPSC failure does not mean life failure.
- Coaching is Not Compulsory: Her own husband cleared UPSC without coaching — she champions self-study.
- Women Must Lead: Saloni believes women must occupy more positions in civil services and academia.
- Practical Knowledge Wins: Her mock interviews are known for real-world questions, not rote answers.
Interesting Facts About Saloni Khanna
- Saloni Khanna is widely searched as “Saloni Khanna IAS” even though she is not an IAS officer — a testament to how deeply she has influenced the civil services community.
- Her husband cleared UPSC entirely through self-study — no coaching institute — a fact she regularly shares to motivate aspirants.
- She worked as a Youth Influencer for Vogue Magazine and Youth Ambassador for Adidas early in her career.
- She enjoys visiting hill stations and holy places — a spiritual and grounding side to her otherwise high-energy professional life.
- She appeared on Raj Shamani’s “Figuring Out” podcast (FO 214), where she spoke candidly about UPSC coaching mafias, corruption in governance, and myths around IAS life.
- She has 296K+ Instagram followers, making her one of India’s largest UPSC digital community builders.
- Her son is named Abeer — she has deliberately kept her family life private to maintain focus on her work.
- She co-founded Skill Up Foundation in 2021, the same year she joined Delhi University — a remarkable parallel achievement.
- Dr. Saloni Khanna is currently one of the very few women conducting UPSC Personality Test mock panels at top coaching institutes in India.
Recent Developments (2024–2025)
- YouTube Channel Growth: Saloni Khanna expanded her YouTube presence in 2024–25 with videos on UPSC interview strategies, economics, and motivation.
- Skill Up Foundation Recognition: The foundation gained increased visibility for its work helping underprivileged UPSC aspirants access preparation resources.
- PhD Progress: Her doctoral research at Delhi University on Skill Development and Employment continues to advance.
- Podcast Influence: Her appearance on major podcasts continued to drive awareness about UPSC realities.
- Continued Drishti IAS Association: She remains one of the most sought-after mock panelists in India’s UPSC coaching ecosystem.
Detailed Biography
Early Life and Humble Beginnings
The story of Saloni Khanna IAS begins in the vibrant lanes of Delhi in 1989. Born into a middle-class Khatri family, Saloni grew up watching her father navigate the banking world with integrity and discipline. These early impressions shaped her worldview — she understood from childhood that education was not a luxury but a ladder.
Delhi’s competitive academic environment pushed her to excel. By the time she was ready for college, she had secured admission to the prestigious Hansraj College, one of Delhi University’s finest institutions, where she would go on to pursue BA Hons in Economics.
Educational Struggles and Achievements
Saloni Khanna’s academic journey was not always smooth. Like most students from middle-class backgrounds, she had to balance ambition with limited resources. Yet her passion for economics — a subject she chose not for prestige but out of genuine curiosity — kept her focused.
At Hansraj College (2010–2013), she stood out as an intellectually curious student, eventually going on to complete her MA in Economics from Himalayan Garhwal University (2016–2018) with specialisation in Indian Economy, Macroeconomics, and Rural Energy.
Today, as a PhD scholar at Delhi University, her research on Skill Development and Employment in India positions her as not just a teacher but a true academic contributor to the nation’s policy discourse.
Career Foundations – From Internships to Government Research
What sets Dr. Saloni Khanna apart is her refusal to take the conventional straight-line career path. While still a student, she interned at Religare Wellness (finance), CARE India (social work), and became a Youth Ambassador for Adidas and a Youth Influencer for Vogue Magazine. These experiences gave her a 360-degree perspective on corporate, social, and creative sectors.
From 2015 to 2017, she served as a Research Specialist for the Government of India, working on projects that directly contributed to policy thinking. This government stint gave her the insider understanding of bureaucracy that she now uses so effectively in coaching UPSC aspirants.
She then transitioned to the private sector as a Senior Consultant at Team Builders India and later as a Product Manager at Bajaj Capital, sharpening her skills in leadership and strategy.
Becoming the Nation’s UPSC Mentor
The defining chapter of Saloni Khanna’s career began when she joined Drishti IAS as a mock interviewer for the UPSC Personality Test. For those unfamiliar, the UPSC interview — also called the Personality Test — is the final and most daunting hurdle in the IAS selection process. Candidates who have cleared Prelims and Mains must now face a panel that evaluates their personality, decision-making, and awareness.
Saloni Khanna UPSC mock interviews became legendary. Her sharp questions, realistic simulation of the actual board, and detailed feedback helped hundreds of aspirants not just clear the interview — but excel. She also associated with Sarrthi IAS as a mock interviewer, broadening her reach.
Her popularity on social media skyrocketed. Today, with over 296K followers on Instagram, she is among the most-followed UPSC educators in India.
The Skill Up Foundation – Giving Back
In 2021, Saloni Khanna co-founded the Skill Up Foundation, an organisation born from a gap she identified in the UPSC ecosystem: what happens to aspirants who don’t make it?
Millions of young Indians spend years preparing for UPSC. When they don’t clear, they often find themselves mid-career with no clear direction. The Skill Up Foundation bridges this gap by helping UPSC aspirants find meaningful employment in the corporate world, leveraging the analytical, administrative, and communication skills they developed during preparation.
This initiative has received wide acclaim and has been recognised as a genuine social contribution to India’s youth empowerment landscape.
Life as a Delhi University Professor
In 2021, Saloni Khanna joined Shaheed Bhagat Singh Evening College (Delhi University) as an Assistant Professor of Economics — a role she continues to hold. Teaching undergraduate students by day and mentoring UPSC aspirants by evening, she exemplifies what it means to lead by example.
Conclusion:
Saloni Khanna’s legacy, still very much in the process of being written, is that of a bridge-builder between formal economics education and the high-pressure world of UPSC preparation. She has managed to humanize a notoriously intimidating examination process by focusing on mindset, communication, and holistic development rather than rote learning alone.
Looking ahead, her ongoing PhD research, her expanding digital presence, and the continued growth of the Skill Up Foundation suggest that Saloni Khanna’s future vision extends beyond individual exam success toward a broader mission of skill development and youth employability across India, a vision that could position her as an increasingly influential voice in both academic and public policy circles in the years to come.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is Saloni Khanna an IAS officer?
No. Saloni Khanna is not an IAS officer. She is an economist, Assistant Professor at Delhi University, UPSC mock interviewer at Drishti IAS and Sarrthi IAS, and the co-founder of Skill Up Foundation. She is popularly searched as “Saloni Khanna IAS” due to her massive influence in the UPSC preparation ecosystem.
Q2. What is Saloni Khanna’s UPSC rank?
Saloni Khanna did not appear in the UPSC Civil Services Examination as a candidate. She is a UPSC educator and mock interview expert, not a rank holder. However, her husband cleared UPSC through self-study.
Q3. Is Saloni Khanna married?
Yes, Saloni Khanna is married. Her husband is a civil servant who cleared UPSC entirely through self-study without joining any coaching institute.
Q4. What is Saloni Khanna’s husband’s name?
Saloni Khanna has not publicly disclosed her husband’s name. She keeps her personal life private. It is known that he is a civil servant who cleared UPSC via self-study.
Q5. What is Saloni Khanna’s age?
Saloni Khanna was born in 1989. Her age as of 2025 is 36 years.
Q6. What is Saloni Khanna’s height?
Saloni Khanna’s exact height is not publicly disclosed. Based on available references, she is approximately 5 ft 4 in tall.
Q7. What does Saloni Khanna do at Drishti IAS?
Saloni Khanna serves as a mock interview panelist at Drishti IAS. She conducts simulated UPSC Personality Test interviews, providing feedback to aspirants to help them improve their communication, confidence, and content quality.
Q8. What is the Skill Up Foundation?
The Skill Up Foundation is an organisation co-founded by Saloni Khanna in 2021. It helps UPSC aspirants who could not clear the examination to find suitable employment in the corporate world, leveraging the skills developed during their UPSC preparation.
Q9. What is Dr. Saloni Khanna’s PhD research topic?
Dr. Saloni Khanna is currently pursuing her PhD from the University of Delhi. Her research topic is Skill Development and Employment in India — a subject deeply connected to her work with the Skill Up Foundation.
Q10. How many Instagram followers does Saloni Khanna have?
As of the latest available data, Saloni Khanna has over 296,000 (296K) followers on Instagram, making her one of the most followed UPSC educators in India.
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