Former Top Cop’s Daughter, A 17-Time Badminton Medalist, Overcomes Injury to Become IPS Officer – News18

Last Updated:November 05, 2024, 10:38 IST

A sudden injury requiring surgery and a year of bed rest became Kuhoo Garg’s turning point, when she decided to start preparing for the UPSC examination

The relationship between a father and daughter is unlike any other. Most daughters consider their father their role model and follow in his footsteps. Former DGP of Uttarakhand, Ashok Kumar, has also left a profound mark on his daughter’s life.

IPS officer Kuhoo Garg is a skilled badminton player. She has won more than 17 medals in national and international sports events. Kuhoo Garg, who secured 178th rank in UPSC CSE 2023, began playing badminton at nine or ten. Her parents, both sports enthusiasts, encouraged her to pursue her passion.

After succeeding in the UPSC examination, Kuhoo Garg secured a position in the Indian Police Service (IPS). Having witnessed her father’s dedication to serving others since childhood, Kuhoo was driven by the same passion to make a difference.

Kuhoo Garg’s father, Ashok Kumar, had a transferable job, requiring the family to relocate frequently. Consequently, Garg’s early education took place in different cities. She completed her primary education at St. Joseph School in Dehradun. Following this, she got admitted at Sanskriti School in Delhi where she completed Grade 8 to Grade 12. In 2018, Garg graduated with an Economics Honours degree from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), one of the top colleges of Delhi University.

Garg has participated and triumphed in numerous badminton matches at both national and international levels. According to her father, Ashok Kumar, Kuhoo Garg is the first active Team India player to clear the UPSC examination. This achievement is particularly remarkable considering the fact that she competed in the open category.

Kuhoo Garg honed her skills under the guidance of her coach Dr. DK Sen and even had the opportunity to learn from Saina Nehwal’s coach Gopichand. Her accolades include a silver medal in the 2019 National Championship and a gold medal in the 2019 South Asian Games.

IPS Kuhoo Garg believes that life-altering turning points are inevitable. For Garg, this turning point came in the form of a sudden injury that necessitated surgery and a year of bed rest. It was during this period that she decided to prepare for the UPSC examination. Her school friend, Narayani Bhatia, who secured 45th rank in UPSC-2023 and is now an IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, provided invaluable support during her preparation.