A first: Punjab woman to lead national police parade in Hyderabad

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 11

The passing out parade at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy, Hyderabad, tomorrow (November 12), will be led by Dr Darpan Ahluwalia, 27, a Punjab-cadre woman IPS probationer officer.

She becomes the first Punjab cadre woman officer to lead the passing out parade of the national academy. Two more woman officers of Punjab cadre will also be participating in the parade.

Born and brought up in Mohali, she did her schooling from Saupin’s School, Chandigarh. She completed her MBBS at Government Medical College, Patiala, before clearing the UPSC examination where she was ranked 80th. Darpan’s father Gurinder Singh Walia retired as a joint director from the Punjab Animal Husbandry Department and her grandfather Narinder Singh served the Punjab Police.

She becomes the sixth woman to lead the parade at the academy that has trained 73 batches of IPS officers to date. Dr Ahluwalia bagged the Martyr KS Vyas Trophy for internal security, public order and field crafts and tactics. Talking to The Tribune, Dr Ahluwalia said: “Our training was concentrated on developing mental and psychological strength of under-training officers. Showing real life benefit what I learnt, I could complete my marathon despite suffering a fracture half way during the run.”