Women's Day 2023: Sanjukta Parashar, The First And Only Lady IPS Officer In Assam

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Sanjukta Parashar, known as the iron lady and the very first lady IPS officer of Assam, hails from the illustrious 2006 batch of officers. Uttering her very name strikes terror in the spines of Bodo militants most of whom she has encountered and killed, and arrested a huge bunch of them. The real he man of the team, Sanjukta heads the COBRA, a special operations unit, that is known for expertise in guerilla and jungle warfare tactics. She fights against Naxalism.

Although she originally qualified for IAS (rank 85 AIR) she chose IPS as her calling, as it allowed direct and quicker contact with the distressed. Basically a native of Assam, she completed her schooling there, upto 12th standard. She completed most part of her undergraduate education in Delhi.

Choosing International Relations for her Masters from JNU, New Delhi.Sanjukta Parashar completed her M. Phil degree in Indonesia after which she worked on her PHD in US foreign policy. Doctoral degree was another feather in her cap. Academics apart, she had other preoccupations like swimming, enacting plays, and march pasts since her schooldays. Born a day after the Gandhi Jayanti (3 October 1979) she opines that Ahimsa is not always possible to follow. When duty calls, she is prepared to support Himsa and use firearms if required. Here are some facts about Sanjukta Parashar.

1. She is the only and the very first IPS officer from Assam.

2. Sanjukta Parashar was a keen athlete who performed in athletic activities during her school days.

3. She has an M Phil in International relations and Ph.D. in US foreign policy.

4. Although she scored 85 on the AIR she chose IPS.

5. Sanjukta is an avid blogger who blogs regularly on the topic of policing. She writes on how the common man perceives the police.

6. She was first posted as the Assistant Commandant of Makum in 2008. She was given the responsibility of controlling the constant clashes between the Bodo and illegal Bangladeshi militants.

7. She is known to have killed 16 militants, arrested more than 64, and confiscated weapons in tonnes from them.

8. Further, in her posting as SP for Sonitpur, she led a group of CRPF jawans, armed with AK-47 in the terror stricken area.

9. She may display daredevilry and a super tough demeanour that does not bend to anyone's whims and fancies, but she is actually a very modest and caring person. She says only criminals should be shuddering at the thought of her and not common people.

10. She is a mother to a child and her husband is Puru Gupta, an IPS officer in Assam and the couple spends weeks apart from each other without even meeting each other. Her five-year-old son is being looked after by her mother.

11. COBRA is a special operation unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India an expert team in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare. Sanjukta Parashar, regularly leads, Assam Police commandos and members of the CoBRA battalion of the CRPF in the terror stricken areas.

12. The focus of National Democratic Front of Bodoland is on Sanjukta and her teammates. They receive threats on an everyday basis but they go on, dauntless, with duty on their hands and patriotism on their minds.