Hyderabad saw a notable moment on October 17, 2026, when former international badminton player and Indian Police Service probationer Kuhoo Garg of the Gujarat cadre received the Sword of Honour at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA). The award marked her as the best outdoor probationer in Phase I of training.
The honour was presented during the Dikshant (Passing Out) Parade of the 78th Regular Recruit (78 RR) batch. In the academy’s outdoor assessment, probationers are evaluated in areas such as physical training, horse riding, unarmed combat, yoga, tactics, mock drills, and sports. Garg had also earned the Medal for Best Probationer in Drill during the Director’s Parade on October 12.
Before joining the IPS, Garg built a strong sporting profile. She represented India in badminton from 2013 to 2020 and reached a world ranking of No. 34 in mixed doubles. She trained under Padma Bhushan awardee Pullela Gopichand in Hyderabad, but a knee injury, including an ACL tear that required surgery, along with the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, changed her path. During recovery, and with encouragement from her parents, she prepared for the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination and secured All India Rank 178 in 2023 on her first attempt, choosing the IPS.
Her family background also drew attention at the parade. Garg is the daughter of Ashok Kumar, a 1989-batch IPS officer who served as Director General of Police of Uttarakhand and is currently Vice Chancellor of the Sports University of Haryana. Her mother, Dr. Alaknanda Ashok, is a professor and dean. Born on September 22, 1998, in Uttarakhand, Garg has linked her sporting habits to her academy performance, saying, “Once an athlete, always an athlete. The discipline, resilience, strategising and the need to always get better and push yourself all of that stays with you,” to The Times of India.
The 78 RR batch consists of 151 officer trainees, including 135 IPS officers and 16 foreign officers from Nepal, Bhutan, and the Maldives. The intake also includes 37 women officers. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan reviewed the parade and addressed the probationers as chief guest.
After the ceremony, the probationers will move on to district practical training in their respective cadres. Garg is set to join the Gujarat cadre, and her recognition as both best outdoor probationer and best in drill reflects how her athletic background has carried into police training.
