Daijiworld Media Network - Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh, Nov 14: Leaving behind a well-paying research job in the United States to serve her country, IPS officer Niharika Bhatt’s story is a remarkable example of courage and purpose. A 2015-batch IPS officer of the AGMUT cadre, Niharika chose the path of public service over a promising scientific career abroad — and succeeded in her very first UPSC attempt.

A native of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, Niharika completed her BTech in electronics and instrumentation engineering from the Institute of Engineering and Technology, Lucknow, before pursuing an MTech at the University of Michigan, USA. She later joined the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where she worked on advanced 3D tissue models and studied the impact of nanoparticles on human health.

Despite her success abroad, Niharika felt a strong pull toward serving her nation. In 2014, she left her research position at the FDA, returned to India, and appeared for the UPSC Civil Services Examination. She secured an impressive All-India Rank of 146 and joined the Indian Police Service.

Reflecting on her journey, Niharika once shared on her Facebook post, “My earliest dream was to become a doctor like my father and join the army. Though I couldn’t join the army, I did get a uniform to serve my country. I’m grateful to be living my childhood dream.”

Today, IPS Niharika Bhatt stands as an inspiration to young aspirants — proving that true success lies not in comfort, but in courage, conviction, and the will to serve.