CISF Appoints Four Women to IG-Rank Leadership Roles, Achieving Historic Gender Milestone

In a notable advancement for gender diversity within India's paramilitary ranks, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) announced that it has appointed four women officers to Inspector General (IG)-rank leadership roles in key operational units. This announcement, made on Monday, marks a "historic milestone" and represents the highest number of women at this rank across all of the Union's armed forces.

Within the CISF, there are eight IG-rank roles, divided equally between Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and CISF cadre. Women now hold half of these cadre positions. The appointed officers include IG Shanti Jaidev overseeing the Eastern Sector, IG Neelima Rani in charge of the Central Sector, IG Jyoti Sinha managing security for the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Space, and IG Pratibha Aggarwal responsible for Technology and Provisioning at CISF headquarters.

The CISF highlighted that these appointments align with India's broader national effort to empower women under the Nari Shakti initiative. The force emphasized that the rise of women to these leadership positions is a significant step towards true representation and meaningful participation in uniformed services.

The appointments have been positively received by both current and former officials. A mid-level CISF officer remarked on the crucial roles IGs play in managing sectors, aided by Deputy IGs in daily operations, underlining the importance of having women officers from the CISF cadre itself in these roles as a notable achievement.

Former IPS officer Meeran Chadha Borwankar, who has led the Mumbai crime branch and the Bureau of Police Research and Development, praised the appointments as a significant step forward for women in uniform. She noted that having four women in top CISF leadership roles sends a very positive message about societal change and underscores the need for visible female leaders to inspire ambition in young girls and encourage educational investment in them.

The CISF, with a workforce exceeding 200,000 personnel, is responsible for safeguarding 359 critical installations across India. These include airports, nuclear facilities, oil refineries, hydropower projects, and other vital infrastructures, particularly in border and insurgency-affected areas. The force also secures the Indian Parliament.

This development follows the previous appointment of Nina Singh as the CISF's Director General, making her only the second woman to lead a central paramilitary force in history. The increasing presence of women in top security roles highlights a significant shift in India's approach to ensuring gender inclusivity within its armed services.