Assistant Commandant Simran Bala, a 26-year-old officer of the Central Reserve Police Force, will lead an all-male marching contingent at the Republic Day parade on January 26, marking a first for the country’s largest central armed police force, officials said.
Simran Bala hails from Nowshera in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district and is the first woman from her area to be commissioned as a Group A officer in the CRPF. She will command a contingent of more than 140 male personnel during the parade on Kartavya Path in New Delhi.
Officials said Bala was selected after a rigorous evaluation process that included weeks of rehearsals, full dress drills and command assessments. Senior officers assessed her leadership, precision and command presence before finalising her for the role.
Speaking about the opportunity, Bala said she felt honoured and responsible at the same time. “I feel truly honoured to get the opportunity to lead the CRPF contingent at this national level ceremony in the Republic of India,” she said. She added that preparations began over a month ago with intense training. “We focused on team unity, precision and how commands are taken and executed. I hope our hard work reflects on the final day,” she said.
Traditionally, the role of leading an all-male contingent at the Republic Day parade has been assigned to senior male officers. While women officers have earlier led women only or mixed contingents, this is the first time a woman will command a fully male CRPF formation at the national event.
Bala joined the CRPF after clearing the UPSC Central Armed Police Forces Assistant Commandants examination on her first attempt, securing a rank within the top 100. She completed her training at the CRPF Academy in Gurugram, where instructors described her as one of the strongest performers of her batch.
Her first posting was with a Bastariya battalion in Chhattisgarh, an area affected by Left Wing Extremism. Officers who worked with her during field operations said she was calm, decisive and disciplined, qualities that later stood out during parade training.
Speaking about her background, Bala said growing up in a border district influenced her decision to join the forces. “I grew up seeing men and women in uniform. That environment always inspired me,” she said.
On the role of women in the force, Bala said opportunities in the CRPF are increasingly based on merit. “The CRPF has always promoted gender equality. Today, responsibilities are assigned on capability and performance, not gender,” she said.
She also shared a message for young women from Jammu and Kashmir. “Believe in yourself, dream big and work hard. Today, opportunities are based on merit and our country needs capable women in every field,” she said.
Her family has expressed pride in her achievement. “My parents are very happy and everyone is eagerly waiting for January 26,” Bala said.
