Simran Bala, a 26-year-old CRPF Assistant Commandant hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, will lead an all-male contingent of her force during the Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path in Delhi on January 26, officials said on Monday (January 19, 2026) .
While there have been instances when women Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officers commanded various Republic Day contingents, this is the first time that a lady officer will command a party of more than 140 male personnel during the annual national event, the officials told PTI.
Ms. Bala hails from Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir and is the first female from the district to join the country's largest paramilitary force in the officer rank.
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The about 3.25 lakh personnel-strong CRPF is the country's top internal security force, with its three main theatres of combat being anti-Naxal operations, counter-terrorist offensives in Jammu and Kashmir, and counter-insurgency duties in the Northeast.
