Meera Chadha Borwankar-The Mardani IPS Officer

In 1981 Meera Chadha Borwankar became the first woman IPS Officer in Maharashtra Cadre. First ever woman to be posted as Commissioner of Mumbai Crime Branch in its 150-year-long history. To be a woman police officer in a force that has barely one or two per cent women is unique in itself; but to head an investigative force of 300 police officers is definitely a first. During her stint with the state Crime Investigation Department from 1993-95, one of the important cases she investigated was the Jalgaon sex scandal which involved many local politicians.
She was awarded the President’s Medal for meritorious service in 1997, apart from the police medal and the Director General’s insignia for meritorious service and Hubert Humphrey Fellowship (2001-2) in three decades of her policing career.