This IPS officer dons different caps at once

Atul Karwal is the first bureaucrat from India to scale Mount Everest. He is also an ultra-marathoner, a triathlete, black belt in martial arts, first-degree black belt in Wing-Tsun Kung Fu, singer and cook.

Hyderabad: From trekking through snow-clad mountains to cycling in dusty deserts, from diving into the depths of the ocean to throwing quick Kung Fu punches, apart from singing, cooking and running in addition to being a decorated police officer, Atul Karwal is giving new meanings to the idea of being multifaceted.

This 1988 batch Gujarat cadre IPS officer, currently stationed as Director of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy here, dons different caps at once. Apart from receiving several awards for excellence in duty, Karwal is known for putting the Indian Civil Services on the international map of mountaineering by becoming the first bureaucrat from India to scale Mount Everest in May 2008.

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One who was not into sports until he became an IPS officer, he has now accomplished several feats. An ultra-marathoner and a triathlete, Karwal is a black belt in martial arts and a first-degree black belt in Wing-Tsun Kung Fu as well, just to start with.

“I grew up in Chandigarh. As a child, we used to go to Manali and Kullu for school. The mountains fascinated me. That was why when I got a chance to scale Mount Everest, I didn’t hesitate for a second and agreed,” shares the officer, who completed the Basic Mountaineering Course (BMC) from the Nehru Institute of Mountaineering, Uttarakhand.

While many people prepare to climb Mt Everest for years, Karwal didn’t have that luxury. So he dedicated all his off duty time towards making himself fit for the expedition. “I engaged in a very intense training regime. My day started at midnight, and from 12 am, I run with a 50-55 kg load on my back till 5 am. Then I would come home, take a shower and sleep for a while before going to office. I ensured that I slept at 8 pm every day,” he says, adding that he would also climb a 17-storey building with a 25kg-load at least 15 times — twice a week.

His love for mountains also made him pedal through the scenic Tibetan ranges.

“We cycled from Kodari border in Nepal to the Mansarovar Lake in Tibet, approximately 400 km. Although we trained before going, being there presented us with several challenges. The mountainous desert can be harsh, the wind especially, was brutal. But we pedaled on and managed to complete the course.”

Although he has taken part in various adventure sports, Karwal shares that one thing that scared him the most was skydiving.

“Mountaineering, cycling and other sports are tough. But you can prepare for them. However, in skydiving, a mistake is never forgiven. I was scared, but also determined,” he shares. Interestingly, Karwal’s accomplishments don’t just end on the ground or in air. He is a trained scuba diver, with about 90 scuba dives to his name across the globe. Running, however, remains his first love.

“It’s like meditation. You are on your own. You need just a nice pair of running shoes. For me, running is a stress reliever. In fact, I have done a 50 km run in Nepal, near the Annapurna Mountain and a 100+ km run in the Rann of Kutch.”

If you thought that this officer was all about adventure sports, wait! Karwal is also a good singer, and is currently taking online classical music classes. “I love music. Although I can sing, I feel the need to be trained in the art,” says the IPS officer, who is also a good cook and plans on learning continental cuisine soon.

“If you want to do something, time can never be an issue. Just put your heart and soul into what you want and you will be able to do it,” shares Karwal.

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