From whites to khakis – The story of a cricketer-turned-cop
Hyderabad-born Karthik Madhira talks about his journey from an ace cricketer to an IPS officer
Byline : Shritha Chillappagari
Update: 2024-01-18 18:42 GMT
Karthik Madhira, once known for his talent on the cricket field, has made a surprising career shift into law enforcement.
Karthik moved to Delhi to get coaching, but unfortunately, could not crack the examination for three successive years.
Stress and Depression
Karthik says he began losing interest gradually. “After failing to clear the prelims stage, I began to slip into depression,” he recalls, adding that he had difficulty managing stress, “I avoided playing cricket and never practiced yoga or meditation. I put my whole attention on working hard and giving it my all, ignoring my mental health in the process. But when I was making my fourth attempt, I realised the importance of balancing my preparation and mental health. At that point, I began to play sports, go to the gym, and practice meditation, all of which improved my ability to focus,” he says.
Sources of inspiration
During the tough times he faced, his family and friends encouraged him. “My parents and sister inspired and supported me. They encouraged me to give it another go. My friends also supported me. I consider it a blessing to be surrounded by people who want the best for me,” says Karthik.
Apart from his support circle, it was his passion to serve the nation that drove Karthik forward. “It was my strong desire to be in a position where I could positively impact society that helped me sail across hurdles,” he avers. And he sailed through the examination in his fourth attempt. “I was ecstatic!” says Karthik. “My first goal was to become an IAS officer, but as soon as I started my IPS training at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad, I realised that IPS was my calling.”
Talking about his posting in the Lonavala sub division, Pune rural district, Maharashtra, he says, “Initially it was a bit difficult, but I knew Hindi, which made it easier to learn Marathi and be able to communicate.” He adds, “Now at Lonavala, I still play cricket and being a computer science engineer, I am interested in ethical hacking, which in turn will help me with cyber security.”
Making society safe
Karthik’s determination to make an impact on society began as soon as he took charge as ASP. He launched a youth movement called Sankalp Nashamukti Abhiyan. “Located as it is between Mumbai and Pune, Lonavola is a weekend hangout for locals and had become a hub of illicit activities like drug use. This four-part campaign was launched with the goal of preventing young people from engaging in such activities. The first part involves taking legal action against drug users and suppliers, the next is the creation of awareness, the third is to counsel addicts. And the last step is rehabilitation,” says the young police officer. Under the initiative, a marathon was held last June. Around 3,500 youngsters participated in the Bhaago Aur Nasha Bhagao event flagged off by Suniel Shetty.
Lonavola is a weekend hangout for locals and had become a hub of illicit activities like drug use. Sankalp Nashamukti Abhiyan was launched with the goal of preventing young people from engaging in such activities. Another cleanliness drive titled Vaarsa Swachthecha Mavala Sivrayancha to keep the forts of Shivaji and other tourist spots in the area safe and clean.
My parents and sister inspired and supported me. They encouraged me to give it another go. My friends also supported me. I consider it a blessing to be surrounded by people who want the best for me.” — Karthik
“I was very interested in cricket during childhood, as my father and uncle were cricket enthusiasts who could not pursue the game as their career. They encouraged me to play, and I represented Hyderabad at the under — 13, 15, 17, 19 and 23 levels and also at universities. But later, due to some personal reasons and injuries, I had to quit cricket,” says Karthik.
He completed his engineering, and was placed in a well-known company, but his father was keen on him attempting the UPSC civil services examination. Initially, Karthik was not interested in it, but after joining work, he found he wanted more from life. “I worked for six months and realised that a desk job was not my cup of tea. I decided to prepare for the UPSC exam. It was a 360-degree turn from cricket to UPSC — two very different things. I had to start over,” he says.Karthik moved to Delhi to get coaching, but unfortunately, could not crack the examination for three successive years.
Stress and Depression
Karthik says he began losing interest gradually. “After failing to clear the prelims stage, I began to slip into depression,” he recalls, adding that he had difficulty managing stress, “I avoided playing cricket and never practiced yoga or meditation. I put my whole attention on working hard and giving it my all, ignoring my mental health in the process. But when I was making my fourth attempt, I realised the importance of balancing my preparation and mental health. At that point, I began to play sports, go to the gym, and practice meditation, all of which improved my ability to focus,” he says.
Sources of inspiration
During the tough times he faced, his family and friends encouraged him. “My parents and sister inspired and supported me. They encouraged me to give it another go. My friends also supported me. I consider it a blessing to be surrounded by people who want the best for me,” says Karthik.
Apart from his support circle, it was his passion to serve the nation that drove Karthik forward. “It was my strong desire to be in a position where I could positively impact society that helped me sail across hurdles,” he avers. And he sailed through the examination in his fourth attempt. “I was ecstatic!” says Karthik. “My first goal was to become an IAS officer, but as soon as I started my IPS training at the National Police Academy in Hyderabad, I realised that IPS was my calling.”
Talking about his posting in the Lonavala sub division, Pune rural district, Maharashtra, he says, “Initially it was a bit difficult, but I knew Hindi, which made it easier to learn Marathi and be able to communicate.” He adds, “Now at Lonavala, I still play cricket and being a computer science engineer, I am interested in ethical hacking, which in turn will help me with cyber security.”
Making society safe
Karthik’s determination to make an impact on society began as soon as he took charge as ASP. He launched a youth movement called Sankalp Nashamukti Abhiyan. “Located as it is between Mumbai and Pune, Lonavola is a weekend hangout for locals and had become a hub of illicit activities like drug use. This four-part campaign was launched with the goal of preventing young people from engaging in such activities. The first part involves taking legal action against drug users and suppliers, the next is the creation of awareness, the third is to counsel addicts. And the last step is rehabilitation,” says the young police officer. Under the initiative, a marathon was held last June. Around 3,500 youngsters participated in the Bhaago Aur Nasha Bhagao event flagged off by Suniel Shetty.
In an ongoing effort to curb the drug menace, every school and college is assigned to a police officer under Karthik’s jurisdiction, who regularly visit the institutions and holds awareness campaigns, to ensure that students stay away from narcotics. Cricket competitions are also held, and the youth are given the message that they should pursue sports rather than drugs.
In another initiative, the ASP has launched a cleanliness drive titled Vaarsa Swachthecha Mavala Sivrayancha to keep the forts of legendary Shivaji and other tourist spots in the area safe and clean. The aim is to get people together once a week to clean the tourist destinations, and then attend awareness sessions on topics like cyber security, women’s safety and traffic safety. “In my opinion, this will facilitate communication between the public and the police,” says Karthik.Lonavola is a weekend hangout for locals and had become a hub of illicit activities like drug use. Sankalp Nashamukti Abhiyan was launched with the goal of preventing young people from engaging in such activities. Another cleanliness drive titled Vaarsa Swachthecha Mavala Sivrayancha to keep the forts of Shivaji and other tourist spots in the area safe and clean.
My parents and sister inspired and supported me. They encouraged me to give it another go. My friends also supported me. I consider it a blessing to be surrounded by people who want the best for me.” — Karthik