India celebrates Republic Day on Tuesday; BoI remembers Delhi Police’s first woman officer Shakuntala Vasishta

AS INDIA is celebrating the Republic Day on Tuesday, with French president Francois Hollande being the chief guest in the parade, it’s the Delhi Police which is taking the challenge in keeping the capital city safe. City’s commissioner of police Bhim Bassi has given messages in social media sites on how to stay alert. “If you notice anything suspicious, inform Delhi Police on tele no 100 or 1090”, he tweeted. But Delhi Police is not about one person or one boss. It has evolved over the years as a strong police force. BoI here remembers Shakuntala Vasishta, the first…
woman officer of Delhi Police. We all know about Kiran Bedi, the first woman Indian Police Service officer (of 1972 batch), now retired. But Ms Vasishta is, in fact, the first woman gazetted police officer of India. It was 1949, incidentally the year Kiran Bedi was born, Ms Vasishta began her career in police, first as an inspector in Punjab Police. Later, she shifted to Delhi and became deputy superintendent of Police. Ms Vasishta retired as deputy commissioner of police in September 1984 from 9th Battalion of Delhi Armed Forces.
Delhi Police has this photo of Ms Vasishta which was possibly shot in 1969 when she was a deputy superintendent of police. Her photo is seen in the metro station located near the Delhi Police headquarters, in an effort to package the history of the ITO area of Delhi.
If any reader has more to say about this woman police officer, or has any anecdotes etc., kindly share with us in the comment box below.
Here are some of the first women achievers
1. First woman to hold a Union Cabinet post --Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
2. First woman governor of Independent India -- Sarojini Naidu, in charge of United Provinces
3. First woman president of UN General Assembly--Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (1953)
4. First woman Prime Minister of India-- Indira Gandhi (1966)
5. First woman IPS Officer of India -- Kiran Bedi (1972)
6. First woman to win Nobel Peace Prize -- Mother Teresa (1979)
7. First woman to climb Mount Everest -- Bachendri Pal (1984)
8. First Indian woman to win Booker Prize -- Arundhati Roy (1997)
9. First woman President-- Pratibha Patil (2007)
10. First woman Speaker of Lok Sabha -- Meira Kumar (2009)
11. First Indian woman to become "Miss World" -- Rita Faria
12. First woman judge in Supreme Court -- Meera Sahib Fatima Bibi
13. First woman ambassador-- CB Muthamma
14. First woman to climb Mount Everest twice -- Santosh Yadav
15. First woman chief minister of an Indian State -- Sucheta Kripalani
16. First woman chairman of Union Public Service Commission -- Roze Millian Bethew
17. First woman Director General of Police (DGP)-- Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya
18. First woman Lieutenant General--Puneeta Arora
19. First woman Air Vice Marshal--P Bandopadhyaya
20. First woman chairperson of Indian Airlines--Sushama Chawala
21. First woman to receive Ashoka Chakra--Niraja Bhanot
22. First woman to cross English Channel--Arati Saha
23. First woman to receive Bharat Ratna--Indira Gandhi
24. First woman to receive Gyanpith Award--Ashapurna Devi
25. First woman to be foreign secretary--Chokila Iyer (2001)