Being an IPS officer goes beyond a mere title; it entails a demanding responsibility to the entire nation. Every year, millions of people aspire to pass the Indian Civil Service exam, with men comprising the majority of candidates and women being a minority. Nevertheless, women in this field have proven their mettle and have emerged victorious.

If you were to ask any IPS officer how to become an IAS/IPS officer, they would advise you to first determine your motivation and reason for doing so. Once you have a clear purpose, the path to achieving it becomes clearer. These outstanding female IPS officers exemplify the significance of the Indian Police Service and serve as sources of motivation and inspiration for those striving for success. They remain true to their words and show unwavering commitment to their duties.

1. Kiran Bedi

Kiran Bedi, a social activist and former IPS officer, made history by becoming the first woman to join IPS in 1972. She served in the police force for 35 years, retiring in 2007 as the Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development. From 28 May 2016 to 16 February 2021, she also held the position of Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. One of her notable achievements was her tenure as Inspector General of Tihar Jail in Delhi, during which she implemented numerous reforms that garnered international recognition.

In 1994, Kiran was honored with the Ramon Magsaysay Award. In 2003, she made history as the first Indian woman to serve as a Police Advisor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the Peace Keeping Operations Department. Kiran is also the founder of the Indian Vision Foundation and an author of several books.

2. Sanjukta Parashar

Sanjukta Parashar, a courageous IPS officer from the 2006 batch, is a name that strikes fear in the hearts of Bodo Assam militants. Over the course of 15 months, she has apprehended over 64 individuals and neutralized 6 militants, showcasing her impressive skills. Moreover, she is the first female IPS officer from Assam and opted for the IPS duty over administrative work despite scoring 85th in the civil service examination.

She heads a team of CRPF Jawans armed with AK-47 rifles in a region plagued by terror as the Police Superintendent of Sonitpur District. Despite receiving multiple death threats from National Democratic Fronts, she remains unaffected and is renowned as one of the most dreaded police officers. Recently, she has taken charge of the investigation into the Bhopal-Ujjain train blast case.

3. Merin Joseph

At the age of 25, Merin Joseph achieved the distinction of being the youngest IPS officer in the Kerala cadre. Although she had aspired to become an IAS officer since childhood, fate had other plans for her. In 2012, after completing her graduation, she cleared the UPSC Civil Service Exam with a ranking of 188.

Merin Joseph was chosen from the Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel National Police Academy to lead the Indian Delegation for The Y20 Summit. However, when a media publication included her in a list of attractive female officers, she criticized the article for promoting a patriarchal mindset that objectifies women.

Merin is an inspiration to all as she not only engages in various social welfare activities but also demonstrated outstanding bravery by traveling to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to apprehend a rape suspect who had been evading capture for two years.

4. Subhashini Sankaran

As the first female IPS officer in independent India to lead the chief minister's security, Subhashini Sankaran has shattered stereotypes in high-pressure roles that demand perfection. She demonstrated her competence by swiftly responding to a militant attack in Sonitpur District in 2014, arriving on the scene just 20 minutes after the incident. Additionally, during her tenure in Assam, she was instrumental in dismantling a rhino-poaching ring operating near the Kaziranga national park. Subhashini's achievements are all the more impressive given that she ranked 243 in the UPSC Mains examination.

5. Aparajita Rai

The first female IPS officer from Sikkim is Aparajita Rai, who successfully passed the UPSC Civil service exam in both 2011 and 2012. Aparajita is the first person from Sikkim to attain such a high rank in the Civil Services Examination and has been honored with numerous awards during her training.

Aparajita's story is one of inspiration and determination to create a positive impact. Although born into an educated family, she faced the loss of her father at the young age of eight. Her father was a divisional forest officer, and as a result, Aparajita had to assist her mother in supporting their family. During this period, she became aware of the callous behavior of government officials toward citizens. This realization motivated her to work hard and strive for change.

Aparajita has accomplished notable feats such as winning the Shri Umesh Chandra Trophy for Field Combat, The 55th Batch of Senior Course Officers Trophy for Best Turn Out, the 1958 Batch IPS Officers’ Trophy for the best Lady Outdoor Probationer, and the West Bengal Govt Trophy for Bengali. She emphasizes that she aims to prevent individuals from experiencing the typical harassment and distress associated with government offices.

6. Meera Borwankar

In 2001, Meera Borwankar made history as the first woman to lead Mumbai's Crime Branch Department in its 150-year history. She is a resolute officer who has successfully cracked many challenging cases, including Abu Salem's extradition, the Jalgaon sex scandal that involved several politicians, and Iqbal Mirchi, among others.

Meera Borwankar began her career as an IPS officer in the Maharashtra Cadre in 1981, serving as the Deputy Commissioner of Police in Mumbai. From 1993 to 1995, she was posted in the CID branch, and later worked with the CBI in Mumbai and served as the DIG of the Anti-Corruption Bureau in New Delhi.

The movie Mardaani draws its inspiration from Meera, who was a witness to the hanging of Yakub Memon in 2015, following his conviction for the 1993 Mumbai serial bombings. Meera has been honored with several medals, including the President’s medal in 1997, the Police Medal, and the Director General’s Insignia. She strongly believes in the potential of women and advises them to pursue their dreams with confidence, independence, and fearlessness, without succumbing to self-doubt.

7. Sangeeta Kalia

Sangeeta Kalia, an IPS officer, displayed courage by taking a stand against the misuse of power by ministers. She drew inspiration from Kavita Chaudhary, who portrayed an IPS officer in the TV series Udaan, which motivated her to pursue a career in this field.

After obtaining a master's degree in Economics, Sangeeta worked as an assistant professor and appeared for the UPSC exam thrice to fulfill her ambition of becoming a real-life hero. She was successful in her third attempt.

Sangeeta's father, who worked as a painter in the Fatehabad police, supported her throughout her journey. In 2010, she joined the Haryana Police as an IPS officer, which was a moment of immense pride for her father, who was retiring at that time.

While serving as Police Superintendent in Fatehabad in 2015, Sangeeta rose to fame and garnered significant attention for her actions. During a meeting, the Health Minister of Haryana, Anil Vij, ordered her to leave, but she refused, leading to an argument between the two. As a consequence, the Health Minister had her transferred to a different area. However, Sangeeta received widespread support for standing up against what was perceived as an unfair abuse of power.

Additionally, Sangeeta successfully apprehended a group of robbers who had been stealing money from ATMs, despite receiving numerous complaints against them. Through effective planning and execution, Sangeeta was able to finally capture the culprits.

8. Dr. Ruveda Salam

Ruveda Salam made history by becoming the first IPS officer from Kashmir and fulfilled her father's lifelong dream. During her teenage years, her father had expressed his desire for her to become an IPS officer. After completing her MBBS in Srinagar, she successfully cleared the Civil Services Examination twice. On her second attempt, she earned a spot in the IPS cadre.

Ruveda underwent her training in Hyderabad before being appointed as Assistant Police Commissioner in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. However, she has since switched to the Revenue Service and is currently serving as an Assistant Commissioner Income Tax officer in Jammu. In addition to her professional duties, Ruveda is actively involved in inspiring and motivating young women to pursue their dreams of clearing the IAS exam in Jammu and Kashmir.

9. Soumya Sambasivan

Shimla's inaugural IPS officer is Soumya Sambasivan, a member of the 2010 IPS batch who conducted a rigorous investigation into the drug mafia and effectively detained the majority of its members. As a result of her efforts, she was recommended for the President's Police Medal.

Saumya, the inaugural female Superintendent of Police to be appointed in Shimla, had also served in the Sirmaur district for two years. Her disciplined and rigorous approach made her popular amongst the masses, and during her tenure in Sirmaur, she successfully solved six murder cases. Additionally, Saumya is recognized for her efforts in training women in self-defense, particularly in the proper usage of pepper spray. As a result of her swift and resolute actions against perpetrators, she remains a prominent and formidable figure in the law enforcement community.

10. Sonia Narang

Sonia Narang, who graduated from Punjab University in 1999 with a gold medal in Sociology, became an IPS officer of the 2002 batch. She rose through the ranks and eventually became a Deputy Inspector General of Police in the Crime Investigation Department. Her father, A.N. Narang, who retired as a Deputy Superintendent of Police, served as an inspiration for her. Sonia was determined to pursue her dream of wearing the khaki uniform and expressed this in an interview with Indian Express.

“I never thought of something else. It was civil services only right from high school.”

Due to her uncompromising attitude towards those who create trouble and make mistakes, she is commonly referred to as the iron-willed lady. In 2006, she gained public attention when she was involved in a chaotic protest between Congress and BJP, where she had to resort to a lathi charge to regain control. Despite her efforts, BJP MLA Renukacharyaa refused to move from his position, leading to her decision to physically slap him and subsequently have him arrested.

When the CM accused Sonia of involvement in a Rs 16,000 crore mining scam in 2013, she refuted the allegation by stating to the media that she had never been assigned to areas where illegal mining occurs and therefore could not have received any money from such activities. In addition to removing criminals, Sonia exposed a racket operating within the Lokayukta office. She achieved the distinction of being only the second female officer in Karnataka's history to become the Deputy Commissioner, where she oversaw the South Division of Bangalore. Sonia's achievements also included a promotion to the rank of Deputy Inspector of Police in the Crime Investigation Department and a four-year appointment as the Superintendent of Police for the National Investigation Agency. She currently holds the position of Additional Director in the Enforcement Directorate.