New Delhi: Senior IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar has entered a new phase of her policing career with a key assignment in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). A 2006-batch officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Parashar has built a diverse professional profile spanning field policing, investigation, counter-insurgency and central deputation.

Her latest posting has drawn attention as she becomes the first woman officer to head the CRPF’s 10-battalion Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) formation. The specialised unit is known for operations in difficult forested and insurgency-affected areas.

Early Life and Entry into the IPS:

Parashar entered the Indian Police Service after securing All India Rank 85 in the Civil Services Examination 2006. Her academic background includes studies in Political Science and International Relations, subjects that provided an academic foundation for understanding governance, security and public affairs.

After joining the IPS, she was allotted the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, beginning a career that would take her through several demanding assignments in the Northeast.

Her initial professional experience came through field-oriented responsibilities, where policing required close engagement with local communities as well as the ability to respond to complex law-and-order situations.

Challenging Assignments in Assam:

The early years of Parashar’s career were closely associated with Assam. One of her notable assignments was as an Assistant Commandant at Makum.

She later served in areas that faced significant security and social challenges. Her posting in Udalguri exposed her to a particularly sensitive law-and-order environment involving ethnic tensions.

Such assignments provided hands-on experience in managing situations where policing required coordination, situational awareness and careful handling of community relations.

Over the years, these field postings became an important part of her professional profile and contributed to her experience in dealing with security-related challenges in the Northeast.

Experience with the National Investigation Agency:

Parashar’s career subsequently expanded beyond state policing when she went on central deputation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi.

During her tenure with the agency, she served as a Deputy Inspector General (DIG). The assignment gave her exposure to specialised investigations and cases involving wider national-security considerations.

Her NIA experience added an investigative dimension to a career that had already included substantial field responsibilities. It also gave her an opportunity to work within a central security organisation and gain experience beyond the state-level policing environment.

Responsibilities in Assam CID:

After her central deputation, Parashar continued to hold important responsibilities in Assam.

She served as Inspector General of Police, CID, Assam, before being assigned the responsibility of IGP, CID-I, Assam, at Ulubari, Guwahati.

The Criminal Investigation Department deals with specialised cases and investigations requiring dedicated professional resources. Her movement into senior CID responsibilities marked another stage in her career, bringing together her field experience with investigative and administrative responsibilities.

Her career trajectory has therefore covered different areas of policing rather than being limited to a single operational domain.

A Milestone Role in CRPF’s CoBRA:

The most prominent recent development in Parashar’s career is her appointment as Inspector General of CRPF’s CoBRA.

CoBRA, or the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, is a specialised CRPF formation trained for operations in challenging terrain, particularly areas affected by Left Wing Extremism.

The force has specialised capabilities for jungle warfare, reconnaissance, intelligence-led operations and other missions conducted in difficult geographical conditions.

Parashar’s appointment places her in charge of a 10-battalion formation and marks a notable development in the leadership of the specialised unit. She is the first woman officer to head this CoBRA formation, adding a distinctive milestone to her career.

Why Her New Assignment Stands Out:

The CoBRA responsibility is different from a conventional police posting. Operations in forested and remote areas demand specialised preparation, detailed planning and coordination between operational teams and intelligence networks.

Parashar’s professional background includes experience in both field policing and specialised investigation. Her work in Assam’s security-sensitive areas, combined with her tenure with the NIA, forms a varied professional base as she takes on the new assignment.

The appointment also reflects the increasing presence of women officers in senior operational positions within India’s police and security organisations.

A Career Built Across Multiple Domains:

One of the defining features of Parashar’s career is its range.

She has worked in field policing, law-and-order management, counter-insurgency-related assignments, criminal investigation and central agency operations. Each posting has offered a different professional environment and set of responsibilities.

Her transition from assignments in Assam to a central investigative organisation and subsequently to senior leadership roles illustrates the varied pathways available within the IPS.

Rather than following a single-track career, Parashar’s professional journey has developed across several important areas of policing and internal security.

Looking Ahead:

The CoBRA appointment represents a fresh chapter for Sanjukta Parashar after years of service in Assam and at the national level.

As the first woman to lead the CRPF’s 10-battalion CoBRA formation, her new position carries both operational responsibilities and symbolic significance for women’s representation in specialised security leadership.

From her early field assignments in Assam to her NIA tenure and senior CID responsibilities, Parashar’s career has involved a wide range of policing challenges. Her latest posting adds another significant chapter to that journey and places her at the forefront of one of the CRPF’s specialised operational formations.