Senior IPS officer Sanjukta Parashar has created history by becoming the first woman to head the CRPF’s elite CoBRA unit, taking charge as its Inspector General (IG). A 2006-batch IPS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Parashar succeeds 1996-batch IPS officer Danesh Rana as the IG of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) a specialised CRPF force trained primarily for jungle and guerrilla warfare. The CoBRA was raised in 2008-09 to counter Left-Wing Extremism in several parts of the country as well as insurgency in parts of the Northeast. Its personnel are specially trained for operations in difficult forest terrain, including intelligence-based missions and counter-insurgency operations. Extensive experience in counter-insurgency. Parashar has built her career around field policing and national security assignments. During her postings in Assam, she participated in and led counter-insurgency operations, particularly in areas affected by insurgency in the state's upper region. Her operational experience in Assam earned her the popular description “Iron Lady of Assam.” She has also served with the National Investigation Agency (NIA), adding experience in investigations involving national security. Her appointment to the CoBRA leadership brings together her field experience in insurgency-affected areas and her background in national-security investigations. Born in October 1979, Parashar completed her early education in Assam before moving to Delhi for higher studies. She studied Political Science at Indraprastha College, University of Delhi, and later pursued International Relations at Jawaharlal Nehru University. She subsequently cleared the UPSC Civil Services Examination and joined the Indian Police Service in 2006. Her career has since included field assignments in Assam, senior responsibilities in the state police and a stint with the NIA. In April 2022, while serving as an NIA DIG, she received a medal for excellence in police training from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. With Parashar now at the helm, CoBRA gets its first woman Inspector General at a time when the specialised force continues to undertake operations in challenging insurgency- and conflict-affected environments. With a pen as her sword, she battles misinformation and amplifies the voices of the unheard.