As India prepares for the Republic Day parade on January 26, 2026, 26-year-old Assistant Commandant Simran Bala will make history by becoming the first woman officer to lead an all-male Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) contingent during the prestigious national event.
Simran Bala, a resident of Nowshera in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, will command over 140 male CRPF personnel marching down Kartavya Path in the national capital. This is the first time in CRPF’s history that a woman officer has been appointed to lead a fully male contingent at the Republic Day parade, a role traditionally held by male officers.
Bala cleared the UPSC Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Examination in 2023 on her first attempt, securing an All India Rank of 82, and was the only woman from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify that year. She was commissioned into the CRPF as an Assistant Commandant in April 2025.
Her first operational posting was with the ‘Bastariya’ battalion in Chhattisgarh, a unit involved in anti-Naxal operations. Her selection to lead the Republic Day contingent was based on her performance during rigorous parade rehearsals, where senior officers assessed drill precision, command presence and leadership abilities.
Simran Bala is also the first woman from her district to join the CRPF as an officer, adding regional significance to her achievement. Her historic role at the Republic Day parade is being seen as a milestone for gender representation in India’s security forces, reflecting evolving leadership norms within paramilitary ranks.
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