Some police careers are shaped in offices. Sanjukta Parashar’s was shaped across field postings, conflict-affected areas and national security investigations.
The 2006-batch IPS officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre has spent much of her career dealing with security challenges in Assam and beyond. Now, she has taken charge of one of the CRPF’s specialised operational units, marking a new chapter in a career that has moved between field policing, counter-insurgency and investigation.
So, who is Sanjukta Parashar, and how did she reach this position?
Who Is Sanjukta Parashar?
Parashar was born in October 1979 and completed her early education in Assam before moving to Delhi for higher studies. She studied Political Science at Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi.
She then joined Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she studied International Relations. She went on to complete an MPhil and PhD related to US foreign policy, according to The Indian Express.
Parashar cleared the Union Public Service Commission’s Civil Services Examination in 2006 and joined the Indian Police Service.
She was allotted the Assam-Meghalaya cadre and began her career in Assam. Her first posting came in 2008 as an Assistant Commandant in Makum.
She was later posted to Udalguri, where she handled a volatile law-and-order situation involving clashes between Bodo groups and migrants from Bangladesh. These early assignments gave her experience in dealing with conflict and policing in difficult conditions.
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How She Became Assam’s "Iron Lady"
Parashar became particularly known for her work in insurgency-affected parts of Assam.
As Superintendent of Police in Sonitpur, she led operations against the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, or NDFB, during 2013-14. The Times of India reported that the operations led to 16 militants being killed and 64 being arrested.
Images of Parashar accompanying security personnel during operations, including one in which she carried an AK-47, drew attention and contributed to the nickname ‘Iron Lady of Assam’. The report also said she received death threats from Bodo militants.
The nickname has since remained closely associated with her public profile.
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From Field Operations To National Investigations
Her career was not limited to field policing.
Parashar also served with the National Investigation Agency as a Deputy Inspector General. Her NIA tenure added experience in investigations involving terrorism, extremism and national security.
She was also involved in police training and received a medal for excellence in police training in April 2022, when she was serving as an NIA DIG, according to NDTV’s report.
Before her latest CRPF appointment, she was heading the CID wing of Assam Police.
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Now, She Leads CRPF’s CoBRA
In September 2026, Parashar took charge as Inspector General of the CRPF’s CoBRA sector headquarters in Delhi.
CoBRA stands for Commando Battalion for Resolute Action. The CRPF raised the unit in 2008-09 for operations involving Left-Wing Extremism and insurgency. Its personnel specialise in jungle and guerrilla warfare, including long-range patrols, intelligence-based operations, ambushes and counter-ambushes.
Parashar succeeds 1996-batch IPS officer Danesh Rana. She is the first woman officer to head the 10-battalion CoBRA formation. Two CoBRA units have also recently been deployed in Manipur amid armed violence.
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Why Her New Role Matters
Parashar’s appointment brings together two major parts of her career: field experience in conflict-affected areas and experience with national security investigations.
It also places a woman officer at the helm of a specialised force whose work involves difficult terrain and high-risk operations.
The appointment comes as the CRPF continues to place women officers in senior leadership positions. According to The Times of India, women officers are currently heading CRPF sectors including Jammu, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and the Northeast, alongside CoBRA.
For Parashar, the new posting adds another chapter to a career that began with an academic focus on international relations, moved into policing in Assam, and later expanded into national security investigations.
Her next assignment is now with CoBRA, where that combination of experience will shape her work as Inspector General.
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TL;DR | News At A Glance
Who is Sanjukta Parashar?
Sanjukta Parashar is a 2006-batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, known for her counter-insurgency work in Assam.
What is her educational background?
She studied Political Science at Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi University, and International Relations at JNU. She also completed an MPhil and PhD related to US foreign policy.
Why is she called the ‘Iron Lady of Assam’?
She earned the nickname after her counter-insurgency work, particularly during her tenure as Sonitpur SP and operations against the NDFB.
What did she do before joining CoBRA?
She served in Assam Police and the National Investigation Agency, where she worked on national security investigations. Before her CRPF appointment, she was heading Assam Police’s CID wing.
What is her current role?
She is the Inspector General of CRPF’s CoBRA sector and the first woman officer to head the specialised 10-battalion unit.
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