Simran Bala: First Woman Officer to Lead All-Male CRPF Unit on Republic Day Parade

• Simran Bala, a 26-year-old Assistant Commandant in CRPF, will lead an all-male CRPF unit in the 76th Republic Day parade, making history as the first woman officer to do so.
• Hailing from Nowshera village in Jammu and Kashmir, an area frequently shelled by Pakistan, Simran pursued her dream despite challenging childhood circumstances.
• She is the first woman from her district to join the CRPF as an officer, achieving an all-India rank of 82 out of 151 candidates in the UPSC CAPF exam on her first attempt.
• Simran was the only woman from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify for the UPSC CAPF exam in May 2023.
• She will lead approximately 140 male CRPF cadets along Kartavya Path, from Raisina Hill to India Gate and then to the Red Fort, during the Republic Day parade.

Why It Matters: Simran Bala makes history as the first woman officer to lead an all-male CRPF unit on Republic Day.