HISTORIC: Who is IPS Nina Singh, first female Director General of CISF?

New Delhi: Nina Singh, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1989 Rajasthan Cadre batch, has taken charge as the Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), marking a historic moment. She is the first woman to hold this post within the CISF.

Her appointment was officially confirmed by a press release from the CISF headquarters in New Delhi, where she assumed her new responsibilities on Friday. Prior to her appointment as the DG, CISF, Singh held the position of Special Director General within the CISF.

"Singh is the first woman officer to hold this post in the CISF. Prior to her appointment as DG, CISF, she was serving as Special Director General, CISF”, the official statement read.

Nina Singh's academic pursuit

Singh's academic background is noteworthy, having earned a Master of Arts degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi, and a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University in the USA. Her pursuit of knowledge led her to receive training in the evaluation of social programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA. She has also co-authored research papers with Nobel Prize winners in economics, Prof Abhijit Banerjee and Prof. Esther Duflo, both from MIT, focusing on evidence-based police reform initiatives.

Singh a trailblazer with in-depth knowledge

Her career spans 34 years, during which she has gained experience in various aspects of police administration, training, criminal investigation, and maintaining public order, primarily in the state of Rajasthan. "Singh is a trailblazer, holding the distinction of being the first woman IPS officer of Rajasthan. With a distinguished career spanning 34 years, she has worked on various assignments across the state of Rajasthan and acquired in-depth knowledge of the police administration, training, criminal investigation and maintenance of public order”, the statement added

Singh has held several important positions throughout her career. She served as the Member-Secretary of the Rajasthan State Commission for Women, an institution devoted to safeguarding the rights and interests of women. Additionally, her tenure as Joint Director in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in New Delhi involved overseeing numerous high-profile crime cases of national and international significance, including anti-corruption, economic offences, bank frauds, and sports integrity issues.

Accolades Singh earned 

Recognising her exemplary service, Singh has been honoured with prestigious awards, including the President's Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2005, the President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2014, and the 'Ati Utkrisht Seva Medal' in 2020. She has also received the Indira Gandhi Priyadarshini Award for outstanding contributions and the Nari Shakti Samman.

Arriving at the CISF Headquarters in New Delhi, Nina Singh was received by Piyush Anand, ADG (North), and other senior officers, with a ceremonial guard of honour presented to her. Addressing the senior officers of CISF, Singh emphasised her priorities, focusing on enhancing professionalism and welfare measures within the force.

Her induction as the 30th Director General of the Central Industrial Security Force signifies a historic milestone, bringing her wealth of experience and expertise to lead the force towards continued service and excellence.