Simran Bala, a 26-year-old CRPF assistant commandant hailing from Jammu and Kashmir, will lead an all-male contingent of her force during the Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path in Delhi on January 26, officials said.
While there have been instances of women officers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commanding various Republic Day contingents, this is the first time a woman officer will command a group of more than 140 men during the annual national event, officials told news agency PTI.
Hailing from Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, Bala is the first woman from the district to join the country’s largest paramilitary force as an officer, the agency said.
The 3.25 lakh strong CRPF is the country’s top internal security force and its three main battlegrounds are anti-Naxal operations, counter-terrorist offensives in Jammu and Kashmir and counter-insurgency duties in the Northeast.
Who is Simran Bala?
Bala is a political science graduate from the Government College for Women in Gandhinagar, Jammu, officials said.
She was inducted into the army in April 2025 and her first posting was in the ‘Bastariya’ battalion in Chattisgarh tasked with conducting anti-Naxal operations, they said.
During her qualification at the CRPF Academy in Gurugram, she was awarded the best officer in training and public speaking subjects after qualifying the CAPF Assistant Commandant examination conducted by the UPSC.
Annual Republic Day parade
The annual Republic Day Parade on 26 January showcases India’s military might and cultural diversity as it marches along the Kartavya Trail from Raisina Hill to the Red Fort through India Gate.
A joint team of women ‘braves’ from CRPF and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) on Enfield Bullets will also be part of the parade.
The female personnel of these two forces also managed to do this on Republic Day in 2020.
The Central Industrial Security Force will have a marching and band contingent, while the Border Security Force will be represented by its famous camel troopers and band teams.
A joint tableau prepared by the National Disaster Response Force and the Police Research and Development Authority is also expected to be part of the Union Home Ministry’s float during the event.
The Republic Day 2026 celebrations at Kartavya Path on January 26, 2026 will be a unique blend of 150 years of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’, India’s military might and cultural diversity. At a press conference in New Delhi on January 16, 2026, Defense Minister Rajesh Kumar Singh explained the broad outlines of the unique activities planned for this year’s celebrations.
This is a significant milestone that reflects the progress of women in our armed forces.
European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will be the chief guests of the Republic Day (RDP) 2026 parade.
