4 women CISF officers now in leadership roles as IGs in sensitive units

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) announced on Monday that four women officers from its cadre are now serving as inspector generals (IGs) in crucial units, describing this achievement as a historic milestone. In the 8 IG rank positions in CISF, four were designated for IPS officers and the other four for non-IPS CISF personnel, with women making up 50% of the total.

“This is the highest proportion among all armed forces of the union. These officers now lead key portfolios and field formations. It aligns with India’s broader push for Nari Shakti in national security. With women rising to leadership positions, CISF is not just marking a milestone- it is leading a movement towards true representation and meaningful participation in uniformed services,” CISF said in a statement.

The four women – Shanti Jaidev, Jyoti Sinha, Pratibha Aggarwal, and Neelima Rani, serve as inspectors general. Jaidev is leading the Eastern Sector and Rani is in charge of the Central sector. IG Jyoti Sinha leads the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and DOS (Department of Space) facilities, while Aggarwal serves as IG (Tech and Provisioning) at headquarters. The CISF, comprising more than 200,000 personnel, secures 359 critical installations nationwide, including airports, nuclear facilities, oil refineries, coal mines, and hydropower projects, particularly in border areas and regions affected by left-wing extremism. CISF is responsible for the security of Parliament.

“In paramilitary forces such as CISF, BSF or CRPF, there are sectors and frontiers – each one headed by an IG. Below the IG, there are several DIG rank officers, who assist the IG in the day to day operations of the sector or frontier. They have to make crucial decisions. Having women officers, that too from the cadre, is an achievement and a great move,” a mid-level CISF officer said.

Indeed, the previous chief of the force, Nina Singh, was also a woman, marking her as the second woman in the history of central armed police forces to lead a paramilitary unit. Retired IPS officer Meeran Chadha Borwankar, the first female chief of the Mumbai crime branch and former head of the home ministry’s Bureau of Police Research and Development, stated that this progress is a positive shift for women officers.

 . “Having four women in top leadership positions of CISF is a very positive signal of change in our society. We need high visibility of women leaders in all the fields. It encourages girls to be ambitious and also encourages their families to invest in girl education.”