Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Sep 20: IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar, popularly known as the ‘Iron Lady of Assam’, has created history by becoming the first woman Inspector General to lead the Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF) elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA).
The CRPF headquarters issued her appointment order on September 10, 2026, following which she took charge of the 10-battalion force. She succeeds 1996-batch IPS officer Danesh Rana.
CoBRA is the CRPF’s specialised unit trained in jungle and guerrilla warfare, long-range operations in forest areas, ambush and counter-ambush tactics, and targeted operations against armed insurgents. The force is actively involved in anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, while two of its battalions are deployed in Manipur amid continuing ethnic tensions.
Parashar is a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre. Her career has included several demanding field assignments, earning her recognition for her work in counter-insurgency operations.
She acquired the nickname ‘Iron Lady of Assam’ during her tenure as Superintendent of Police in Sonitpur district between 2013 and 2014. During this period, she led a crackdown on the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, reportedly neutralising 16 militants and arresting more than 60 insurgents within 15 months.
Her career later expanded into national security investigations when she joined the National Investigation Agency (NIA), where she served as Superintendent of Police and was subsequently promoted to Deputy Inspector General. During her 2017–2023 tenure, she worked on counter-terrorism cases, including an investigation into a train blast in Madhya Pradesh.
Before her appointment to the CRPF, Parashar headed the Criminal Investigation Department of Assam Police.
Born in October 1979, she studied Political Science at Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi University, before pursuing International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University. She completed her early education in Assam.
Her appointment marks a milestone for women's representation in India's central armed police forces. She is among seven women IPS officers currently serving as Inspector Generals across different CRPF formations.
Women officers are also heading sectors in Jammu, the Rapid Action Force, the Northeast, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
A senior CRPF officer confirmed to news agencies that this is the first time since CoBRA's inception that the specialised force has been headed by a woman officer.
The appointment places Parashar in charge of personnel deployed in challenging operational environments, including dense forests and areas affected by insurgency.
Her elevation also comes as CRPF chief Gyanendra Pratap Singh belongs to the same Assam-Meghalaya cadre.
Parashar's appointment highlights the increasing representation of women officers in leadership positions within India's security forces, including specialised units focused on frontline operations.