Former Badminton Player Kuhoo Garg Wins Sword of Honour at SVPNPA Passing Out Parade

Former international badminton player Kuhoo Garg, now an Indian Police Service (IPS) probationer of the Gujarat cadre, has been awarded the Sword of Honour at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) for emerging as the best outdoor probationer in Phase I training.

The honour was presented during the Dikshant, or passing out, parade of the 78th Regular Recruit (78 RR) batch on October 17, 2026. Garg also received the Medal for Best Probationer in Drill during the Director’s Parade held on October 12, adding another distinction to her academy record. The outdoor assessment at SVPNPA covers physical training, horse riding, unarmed combat, yoga, tactics, mock drills and sports, making it one of the key measures of a probationer’s overall performance.

Garg’s achievement stands out not only because of her results at the academy, but also because of the unusual career path that brought her there. A graduate in Economics (Honours) from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University, 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 before injuries and other disruptions forced her to reassess her future in the sport.

A knee injury, including an ACL tear that required surgery, and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic pushed Garg towards a different path. With encouragement from her parents, she prepared for the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination while recovering and cleared it on her first attempt in 2023, securing All India Rank 178. She chose the IPS after qualifying for the service.

Born on September 22, 1998, in Uttarakhand, Garg comes from a family with a strong connection to public service and education. She 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.

Speaking about how her sporting background has shaped her approach at the academy, Garg told The Times of India: “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.”

The 78 RR batch consists of 151 officer trainees, including 135 IPS officers and 16 foreign officers from Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives. Women make up 37 of the probationers in the batch. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan reviewed the parade and addressed the trainees as the chief guest.

Following the parade, the probationers will move on to district practical training in their respective cadres. Garg is set to join the Gujarat cadre for the next phase of her training.

Her recognition as both the best outdoor probationer and the best in drill reflects the way athletic training can translate into the demands of police probation. For Garg, it also marks a smooth transition from international badminton to a career in public service.