When Dr Radhika Mishra saw her name in the MPPSC Sports Officer selection list, she needed a few moments to believe it was real.
She was with a group of friends when one of them called to tell her that she had cleared the examination. While everyone around her began celebrating, congratulating and cheering, she was still processing the moment.
Her name was finally on the list.
For the Gwalior-based academic, however, the journey to becoming an MPPSC Sports Officer had begun long before the examination. It started on the sports field, continued through her academic career and PhD in sports biomechanics, and eventually brought her to the government service she had been working towards.
Dr Radhika Mishra has cleared the MPPSC Sports Officer Examination in her second attempt, with the result declared on August 22. She prepared for the examination while continuing to work as an assistant professor, managing her teaching responsibilities alongside her studies.
“My first reaction was simply, ‘Is this really happening?’” she shared in a conversation with Indian Masterminds.
When Sports Became More Than a Career
For Radhika, sports has never been limited to a profession.
She was an All India University-level player, an experience that shaped her relationship with sports from an early stage. She went on to pursue higher education in physical education and eventually completed her PhD in sports biomechanics.
Her academic journey allowed her to understand sports beyond participation — through education, research and teaching.
That made her decision to appear for the MPPSC Sports Officer examination a natural extension of everything she had done so far.
“Getting selected as a Sports Officer through MPPSC feels especially meaningful to me because sports has always been much more than just a career for me. It has been a part of my life.”
Rather than viewing government service as a completely new direction, she saw it as an opportunity to take her existing experience into a wider sphere.
From playing sports to studying it, teaching it and now getting an opportunity to work in the field through government service, each stage of her career has remained connected.
Her First MPPSC Attempt Took Her to the Interview
Radhika’s MPPSC journey did not begin with the final selection.
In her first attempt, she cleared the written examination and reached the interview stage. She could not make it through the final selection that time, but the attempt gave her something equally important — an understanding of the examination.
She knew the pattern better. She knew where she needed more preparation.
“The biggest advantage of my first attempt was that I had already put in a lot of hard work and prepared detailed notes. So, when I appeared for the examination for the second time, I did not feel like I was starting from zero.”
She revised and refined the material she had already prepared while focusing more attention on areas that required additional work.
One such area was Paper I, particularly Madhya Pradesh General Knowledge. While physical education was a subject she was already familiar with academically and professionally, MP-specific general knowledge required a different kind of preparation.
Preparing for MPPSC Alongside a Job
The second attempt came while Radhika was working as an assistant professor.
That meant preparation had to fit around an existing professional schedule. There was no option of putting her job aside and preparing exclusively for the examination.
Managing both required discipline, planning and effective use of time.
Her previous attempt helped her in this regard as well. The groundwork was already in place, allowing her to concentrate on revision, strengthening weak areas and becoming more familiar with what the examination demanded.
Her selection eventually brought together two parts of her life that had been running alongside each other — teaching and competitive examination preparation.
A Result That Meant More to Her Family
The result was also a special moment for Radhika’s parents, who had seen her journey from her bachelor’s and master’s degrees to clearing UGC-NET, completing her PhD and preparing for MPPSC while working.
For her family, the achievement carried an additional significance.
“Coming from a family where no girl had previously reached a Level 10 government officer position, seeing me achieve this milestone was a very special moment for them.”
Her parents had supported her through every stage, making the final result a shared moment of happiness.
From Gwalior to a New Role in Sports Administration
Radhika’s journey now moves into a new phase.
Her experience as a sportsperson, education in physical education, research in sports biomechanics and experience as an assistant professor have all contributed to the professional path that has led her to the MPPSC Sports Officer post.
For her, the selection is not about leaving one field behind for another. It is about taking years of experience in sports into a role where she can contribute to the field through government service.
And perhaps that is what makes the achievement particularly meaningful.
The girl who once represented herself on the sports field went on to study the science behind sports, teach the subject, complete a PhD and prepare for a competitive examination while working.
Now, Dr Radhika Mishra is set to serve as an MPPSC Sports Officer — bringing her experience from the classroom, research lab and sports field into public service.
As she puts it, her motivation was straightforward: “My motivation was simply my passion for sports and the love I have for my profession.”
