Tina Dabi often takes the spotlight as a distinguished woman officer who clinched the top spot in the UPSC Civil Services Exam in her initial attempt. However, it's imperative to acknowledge the trailblazing achievement of IAS officer Bhawna Garg, who predates Tina Dabi in achieving this remarkable feat.
A member of the 1998 batch of the Punjab cadre, Bhawna Garg boasts a plethora of accomplishments in both her academic and professional journey.
According to a News18 report, Bhawna Garg, who hails from Punjab, earned her B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1998. Her academic prowess was duly recognised with the Ratan Swarup Smriti Award during her graduation, applauding her outstanding performance across all subjects.
Additionally, she secured the first rank in the Joint Admission Test during the admission process. Immediately after completing her studies at IIT Kanpur, Bhawna embarked on her UPSC journey, emerging victorious with an All India Rank of 1 in her very first attempt.
Continuing her pursuit of knowledge, Bhawna Garg secured a master's degree in Public Policy from the esteemed Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University in 2012.
Her commitment to excellence was further showcased during her IAS training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, where she earned a gold medal for her outstanding performance in curricular activities.
Her optional subjects in the UPSC exam were Mathematics and Chemistry, stated the News18 report.
Bhawana Garg's father was a junior engineer, and her husband, Ajay Sharma, is also an IAS officer with an engineering background.
Currently, Bhawna Garg is serving as the Deputy Director General, of UIDAI, Chandigarh