The protagonist, Kesava Pillai, starts as a clerk in government service and gradually progresses by using unethical means to reach the top.

He falls in love with his colleague, Thankamma, but due to family pressure, he marries someone else.

Despite this, he maintains a relationship with Thankamma, who happens to be the niece of the Chief Secretary to the Government.

Kesava Pillai manipulates this connection to climb up the ladder and eventually becomes the Chief Secretary himself.

The story concludes with Kesava Pillai being forced into premature retirement by a new ministry that exposes his treachery.