Five Telangana-Origin IPS Probationers Passed Out At The Police Academy

Hyderabad:The place of women in policing is often reduced to a count but their performance tells a different story. Women accounted for 37 of the 151 trainees at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), Hyderabad, but three women secured four of the eight trophies announced for the October 17 passing-out parade.

Among them is Kuhoo Garg, a former international badminton player who trained under Pullela Gopichand in Hyderabad and will receive the IPS Association's Sword of Honour for Best Outdoor Probationer. Her achievements include the discipline of one demanding profession into another, while her fellow officers reveal different paths into a service traditionally dominated by men.

“I was used to training for six to eight hours, sometimes even ten hours a day. The diligence, resilience and ability to perform in tense situations I picked up there helped me during the examination and my training here,” said Kuhoo Garg, a Gujarat-cadre IPS probationer.

Originally from Dehradun, Garg represented India in badminton from 2013 to 2020. She reached world No. 34 and India No. 1 in mixed doubles. Injuries and the Covid-19 interruption led to a prolonged break, during which she considered the civil services.

An athletic background is not necessary to excel in the Academy, as Lekzin Pelden Lhamo of the Royal Bhutan Police showed. A law graduate with no competitive sporting experience, she trained for 18 months in Bhutan before being selected among six officers for training in India. Lhamo will receive the BSF Trophy for proficiency in outdoor subjects and the Director's Trophy for Best Foreign Officer Trainee in Phase I.

“I was a homebody my entire life until I decided to join the police academy back in Bhutan. That was when I realised what my body was capable of. It is not always about physical ability. It is about discipline, consistency, determination and hard work,” said Lhamo, crediting her instructors and fellow probationers.

Hyderabad-born N. Chetana Reddy, the only Telangana-origin probationer allotted the Telangana cadre, also entered without an athletic background. “The training at NPA is very scientific. They build your fitness systematically, so if you are willing to put in the effort and are disciplined, you can achieve the required level of physical fitness,” said Reddy, an engineering graduate.

Also a Telangana-origin engineering graduate, K. Arpitha, who has been allotted to the Uttar Pradesh cadre, said she had reservations about entering a predominantly male profession but eventually realised there is very little difference between a man and woman in this field. “I am excited now.”

Aarushi Sharma from Assam cadre will receive the Manipur Cup for Law and Urmi Sinha, a political science graduate from West Bengal allotted to the Andhra Pradesh cadre, said women IPS officers had repeatedly proved themselves in areas such as militancy and extremism. “Policing in today's world needs to be compassionate, considerate of people's felt needs and more inclusive. I think women especially can play a very important role in that,” she said.