On right track: Railway Protection Force gets first-ever woman DG; who is Sonali Mishra?

NEW DELHI: The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has appointed senior IPS officer Sonali Mishra as its new Director General. This makes her the first woman to head the 143-year-old central security force. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet cleared her appointment and she will hold the post until her superannuation on October 31, 2026.

Mishra is a 1993-batch officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre. In her career spanning more than 30 years, she has held key roles in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Border Security Force (BSF) and also served with the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo.

Prior to this post, she served as Additional Director General of Police (Selection/Recruitment) in Madhya Pradesh, along with charge of the Police Training and Research Institute and the Police Academy in Bhopal.

Her appointment is being seen as a significant milestone for the RPF, which is tasked with safeguarding railway property, ensuring passenger safety and preventing crime across India’s vast railway network.

According to officials, she is expected to focus on strengthening the force’s capabilities in technology adoption and tackling organised crimes such as human trafficking . She is also likely to prioritise measures aimed at improving the safety of vulnerable passengers.

Mishra has been conferred with the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service and the Police Medal for Meritorious Service in the past, in recognition of her contributions to the force.

On assuming charge, she expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve and reaffirmed her commitment to upholding the values of vigilance, courage and service that define the RPF’s motto “Yasho Labhasva”.