Given that India celebrates its 77th Republic Day on January 26, among those preparing for the grand parade on Kartavya Path is Kashmir based out
26-year-old Assistant Commandant Simran Bala. She will script history as the first woman officer to spear-head a male dominated contingent of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
This unprecedented moment marks the first time a female officer to command a male CRPF contingent a position traditionally held by male officers in India’s largest paramilitary force.
Leading a contingent of over 140 personnel reflects a notable landmark for the CRPF and spotlights the growing role of women in India’s security services. Her role in leading the parade is historic and sends a clear message that women are taking on bigger roles in India’s armed forces.
Simran’s journey to this historic moment was influenced by her childhood experiences in the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, where she witnessed cross-border firing. These experiences inspired her to serve the nation through India’s central armed police forces.
In June 2023, she cleared the UPSC Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) assistant commandant examination. She was the only woman from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify that year and secured an All India Rank of 82 among 151 successful candidates.
Simran completed her schooling in Naushera up to class 10 and then moved to Jammu for higher secondary education. She later graduated in Political Science from the Government Women’s College, Gandhinagar, Jammu. Amidst her semester she began preparing for the UPSC CAPF and successfully cleared it on her first attempt.
After passing the CAPF Assistant Commandant exam, she underwent training at the CRPF Academy in Gurugram, where she was recognised as the best officer in training and received an award for public lectures.
She joined the CRPF in April 2025, with her first posting in Chhattisgarh’s Bastariya Battalion, taking charge of anti-Naxal operations.
News Edit KV Raman
