CRPF marks 40 years of women in combat service, to felicitate personnel on September 25

New Delhi: The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is marking 40 years of women in combat service this year, commemorating the raising of India's first-ever women combatant battalion in 1986, a milestone that marked a significant step towards greater participation of women in the country's security forces.

To mark this milestone, the CRPF said it has planned to host a special commemorative event on September 25. During the ceremony, CRPF Director General GP Singh alongside the President of the CRPF Family Welfare Association (CWA) will felicitate veteran and serving women personnel for their extraordinary contributions and sacrifice.

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From the first women battalion raised four decades ago, the CRPF's women personnel have expanded their operational presence across critical security theatres. The CRPF-- one of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) under the Ministry of Home Affairs-- now has six dedicated Mahila Battalions deployed across the country, besides women personnel serving in specialised and frontline roles.

Women teams are also embedded in each Rapid Action Force (RAF) unit of the CRPF for specialised crowd-control and counter-riot duties. Women personnel are additionally serving in integrated operational roles, including in the Bastariya Battalion, which operates in Left-Wing Extremism-affected areas.

Over the past four decades, the CRPF women personnel have participated in several challenging operational assignments, demonstrating their role in the force's security and operational responsibilities.

The CRPF's women personnel have also earned recognition for gallantry and distinguished service.

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CRPF's late constable Kamlesh Kumari remains the force's only recipient of the Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award. She was posthumously awarded the honour for her supreme sacrifice and courage during the terrorist attack on Parliament in 2001.

Other CRPF women personnel have also been recognised for their operational contributions. The force's constable Vimla Devi was awarded the Sena Medal, while Lance Naik Rajwan Devi received an Army Chief Commendation for their role at the Elephant Pass Check Post in Sri Lanka in 1988. Constable Bindu Kumre was also awarded a gallantry medal for her bravery during the terrorist attack at Srinagar Airport in 2001.

The CRPF said the journey of its women personnel over the past four decades reflects the force's growing emphasis on operational inclusivity and equal opportunities in the security framework.