In a landmark appointment for India's paramilitary forces, the Centre Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has named Sanjukta Parashar as the Inspector General of its elite anti-naxal special force, CoBRA — making her the first woman to command the unit in its decade-plus history.
The official order for her appointment was issued last week by the CRPF headquarters, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, with details becoming public recently. Parashar, a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, will assume charge from 1996-batch officer Danesh Rana.
CoBRA, which stands for Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, was created in 2010 specifically to combat left-wing extremism in India's dense forest corridors. The unit is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous assignments in Indian law enforcement, routinely operating in naxal-infested terrain across central and eastern India.
Parashar's career has been defined by frontline counter-insurgency work. During her tenure in Assam, she played a pivotal role in operations against militant groups operating in the state's dense jungles. She has been credited with significant contributions in clearing the region of armed insurgency, earning her the nickname "Lady Singham" among local communities and fellow officers.
Her posting to CoBRA marks a major shift in the perception of women's roles in India's most combat-intensive paramilitary units. The unit has historically been led exclusively by male officers since its inception.
The appointment comes at a time when the government has been pushing for greater female representation in leadership positions across the armed and paramilitary forces, even as some of the most high-risk postings remain predominantly male domains.
Analysts say Parashar's battle-hardened experience in the northeast makes her a fitting choice to lead CoBRA, a unit that demands both tactical acumen and unwavering resolve in hostile jungle terrain.
