- Gen Z IPS officer Kuhoo Garg cracked UPSC with rank 178.
- Achieved success while on bed rest due to knee injury.
- Followed father's IPS legacy in his retirement year.
Gen Z Officer Success Story: Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Kuhoo Garg celebrated her 28th birthday on September 22, 2026. Like IPS officers Jaya Sharma and Simran Bhardwaj, Kuhoo Garg belongs to the 'Generation Z' cohort of IPS officers, and her success story is truly remarkable and inspiring. She turned the adversity of a knee injury into an opportunity, cracking the UPSC exam while on bed rest. Her father was also an IPS officer, while Kuhoo herself has been an international-level badminton player.
Kuhoo's daughter was chosen for the Indian Police Service on her first try in the same year that her father, Ashok Kumar, retired as Uttarakhand's Director General of Police (DGP). Kuhoo has won numerous international badminton medals. She had a knee injury while playing badminton, which forced her to give it up, but her spirit never wavered. After around two and a half years, Kuhoo Garg made a stunning return to become an IPS officer.
Her Success Story, Shared on Instagram:
Kuhoo Garg, a Gen Z IPS officer, was born on September 22, 1998. She shared her success story on her official Instagram account, stating that she was assigned to the Indian Police Service (IPS) cadre after placing 178th nationally in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination 2023. She said that it took some time to absorb the new information and settle in, which is why this post was delayed.
Kuhoo, daughter of 1989-batch IPS officer Ashok Kumar, completed her early education at St. Thomas College in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, and graduated from Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi. Having played badminton since the age of nine, Kuhoo Garg has won 56 national and 19 international medals during her sporting career. In 2018, she reached the quarter-finals of the World Championships.
A Knee Injury Changed Everything: 8–10 Hours of Study, Every Single Day
Doctors urged her to rest after she suffered major ACL damage while playing. Kuhoo started getting ready for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination around this time. She spent eight to ten hours a day studying for the UPSC exam, and because of her unwavering commitment, she earned the 178th position on her first try, becoming an IPS officer.
"The UPSC result was truly wonderful," Kuhoo remarked in an Instagram post. I felt immensely fortunate and appreciative of everyone's love and prayers. It feels like a grand plan devised by nature itself that he left the khaki uniform and I entered it within a year." Although it wasn't an easy shift, everything works out for the best.
"Three years ago, the Civil Services was a path I hadn't even considered, while badminton was a sport I couldn't imagine living without for even a single day," says Kuhoo Garg in a piece published on July 30, 2024. However, people who know me know that a knee ACL injury was only the start of many changes that occurred during that period. I stopped playing competitive badminton more than two and a half years ago, and I started studying for this test more than two years ago. By the grace of God, the result has been fantastic.
She further writes, "Given my nature of staying focused on a single goal, this transition was far from easy. Yet, life takes us exactly where we are meant to be. I truly believe that everything happens for the best, even if we only realize it later."
Gratitude Towards Family, Doctors, and Well-Wishers
Kuhoo writes, "I am deeply grateful to everyone who was a part of this journey-my family, my doctors and therapists, the elders who blessed me, the seniors who guided me, and the friends who always encouraged me." Above all, my mother (@alak.nanda), who supported me at every turn and given me the strength to finish."
"I am also thankful to God for keeping me strong and assisting me in making some of the most difficult decisions in my life," she continues. I was able to get through the challenging times because of my faith in Him.