Who is Sanjukta Parashar? Meet the ‘Iron Lady of Assam’ now leading CRPF’s elite CoBRA commandos

For years, her name has carried a certain mystique in India’s security circles. In Assam, she became known as the “Iron Lady” for leading operations in insurgency-hit regions. On social media, stories about her walking through dense forests with armed personnel turned her into one of the country’s most recognisable women police officers. Now, Sanjukta Parashar has reached another milestone: she has become the first woman officer to head the Central Reserve Police Force’s elite CoBRA unit, one of India’s most specialised forces for jungle warfare and counter-insurgency.

The appointment has put the spotlight back on an officer whose career has been shaped by some of India’s toughest internal security challenges.

Why is Sanjukta Parashar’s CoBRA appointment making headlines?

The significance lies not just in the post, but in the force she will command.

Parashar has taken charge as Inspector General of the CRPF’s Commando Battalion for Resolute Action, better known as CoBRA. It is reportedly the first time in the force’s history that a woman officer will lead the specialised unit.

The appointment comes at a time when CoBRA units continue to operate in challenging environments, including areas affected by insurgency, difficult border terrain and conflict-prone regions. Two CoBRA battalions were recently deployed in Manipur amid ongoing security concerns.

Who is Sanjukta Parashar and how did she become an IPS officer?

Parashar belongs to the 2006 batch of the Indian Police Service and is part of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre. Before entering policing, she built a strong academic record, studying at Delhi University and later pursuing higher studies in international relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University, according to multiple profiles published after her appointment.

She cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination with an All India Rank that gave her options beyond policing. Yet she chose the IPS and was eventually posted to Assam, a decision that would define her career.

How did she earn the title ‘Iron Lady of Assam’?

The nickname was forged in the field.

During her years in Assam, Parashar served in insurgency-affected districts where security personnel frequently operated in forests, hills and remote areas. Her reputation grew because of her direct involvement in anti-insurgency operations and her willingness to take on difficult field assignments rather than remain confined to administrative roles.

Over time, media reports and public discussions began referring to her as the “Iron Lady of Assam”, a title that stuck and eventually became part of her public identity.

She later served in senior positions, including with the National Investigation Agency (NIA), adding national security and investigative experience to her operational background.

What exactly is CoBRA and why is it considered an elite force?

CoBRA is not a conventional police unit.

Raised by the CRPF in 2008, the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action was created specifically for jungle warfare and guerrilla-style operations. Its commandos are trained for long-range patrols, intelligence-led strikes, ambushes, counter-ambushes and operations in areas threatened by improvised explosive devices.

The force is best known for anti-Naxal operations, but its expertise has increasingly been used in other challenging security environments requiring specialised training and mobility.

Why could this appointment be a turning point for women in India’s security forces?

Women have steadily moved into leadership roles across India’s armed and security services, but command positions in specialised combat-oriented formations remain relatively rare.

Parashar’s appointment therefore carries symbolic as well as operational significance. It is being viewed as an important milestone in the broader effort to expand women’s representation in senior leadership positions within India’s security establishment.

For the CRPF, the move places an officer with decades of experience in counter-insurgency, field policing and national security investigations at the helm of one of its most demanding formations.

What comes next for the ‘Iron Lady of Assam’?

Parashar now takes charge of a force whose core mission mirrors much of her own career.

The forests, difficult terrain, intelligence-led operations and insurgency challenges that shaped her reputation in Assam are the same environments in which CoBRA operates. As security challenges evolve across India’s conflict-prone regions, her leadership will be closely watched not only within the CRPF but across the country’s wider security establishment.

For now, though, the headline is already written: the officer who became the “Iron Lady of Assam” has added another first to her career — becoming the woman who broke one of the last leadership barriers in India’s elite jungle warfare force.

(With inputs from agencies)