https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

For Bihar Elections, a Woman IPS Officer from Himachal

Leading a team of 600 security officials from Himachal Pradesh, all donning bullet-proof gears, IPS officer Soumya Sambasivan has ensured smooth first round elections in the naxal-affected belt of Bihar. It’s a challenging experience but equally enriching too, she says.
Indian Masterminds Stories

The ongoing election process for Bihar Assembly is making headlines for many reasons. The first state elections being held during the Covid 19 pandemic, one of the most important agendas for the administration would be to ensure health safety of millions of voters who would come out of their homes on the polling days.

Ms. Sambasivan going to a poll booth (Courtesy : Ms. Sambasivan)

What is also of significance is that this time an IPS officer of Himachal Cadre, Ms Soumya Sambasivan is leading the contingent of around 600 security officials to conduct safe and sound elections in Bihar. The 2010 batch officer has started supervising the security operations in the Naxal-affected area in Bodhgaya. 

Power of Democracy

In the first phase of election (on October 28, 2020) , Ms Sambasivan was co-ordinating the security arrangements for 135 booths. It was her leadership quality and team effort that vote percentage on 10 seats of the district was fairly good. Talking to Indian Masterminds about the highlights of the election & her experience she says, “I can say that Bihar is aware and in an action mode. If I talk about Gaya then people here have shown a lot of enthusiasm for voting. They believe in the democratic system more than supporting the naxal outfits. In Gafa Khurd, I saw a 90 year old blind man who has come out to cast his vote. This in itself speaks volumes about the power of democracy and about expressing and believing in individual freedom.’’

‘Jaan Hai, Jahaan Hai’ 

The world is still fighting against coronavirus , and has made it important to strictly follow norms like social distancing. This in itself makes the entire election process a big challenge, and Ms Sambasivan is quite aware of it. But she is determined not to let a single health mistake come in the way of elections. For one, all the team members led by Ms. Sambasivan were trained in strictly complying with all the norms before they left Himachal. All of them have been provided their own medical kits. “Keeping the virus at bay and to stay fit and has been our biggest challenge. As I told my officials- `Jaan Hai Tau Jahaan Hai’ (To remain alive is important for staying in the world),’’ she said. 

Ms. Sambasivan took blessings in the holy temple of Bodhgaya

Fully Prepared

It is for the first time that a female officer from Himachal Pradesh is commanding a contingent which is serving in Naxal-affected areas of Bihar. Both the States are different in terms of demography and geography. When asked about any difficulties that arose during the elections, she replied, “I agree that it was psychologically and culturally a new turf for me and my team. So, we were preparing for this from a long time. This area has been facing left-wing extremism activities from a long time. Keeping this in mind, tactical and security briefing of the troops was done accordingly. We were also trained in various tactical formations before our departure. It all helped us during elections. I won’t say that the task was difficult but yes, it was laborious and some extra planning went into this. 

To avoid any unwanted situations, each security official under Ms Sambasiban was armed with bullet-proof gear.  Along with this, Ms. Sambasivan’s team also worked in tandem with CRPF. After the completion of first phase successfully, her team has left for Nalanda, which is the home constituency of Chief Minister Mr Nitish Kumar. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Supreme Court of India SCI
SC Reinstates Woman Judicial Officer in Rajasthan, Stresses Importance of Gender Diversity in Judiciary
Anjali Sondhiya Secures 9th All-India Rank in IFS Exam
Anjali Sondhiya Secures 9th All-India Rank in IFS Exam 2024, Tops Madhya Pradesh - Know Her Incredible Journey
Justice A S Oka
Justice AS Oka Calls for Judicial Reforms in Farewell Speech, Highlights Need to End CJI-Centric System
MCL
MCL Partners with Gram-Utthan to Launch 'Swabalambi' Project for Rural Women's Empowerment
THDC-resized
THDC India Hosts Joint Parliamentary Committee During Study Visit on Key Constitutional Amendments - Know More Here
Gujarat-government resized
2 IAS Officers Reshuffled at Key Administrative Posts in Gujarat, Sangeeta Govindbhai Raiyani Made MD, Gujarat Urban Livelihood Mission
news
Rejuvenating Yamuna: Former IAS Officer Asok Kumar G Shares Insights at Delhi Event
Reserve-Bank-of-India_RBI_resized
BIG: RBI Announces Record ₹2.69 Lakh Crore Dividend to Govt for FY25, Up 27% from Last Year - Full Details Inside
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
From Gwalior to the Top 20: What Drove Finance Pro Madhav Agarwal to Crack UPSC CSE 2024 with AIR 16? | Exclusive
Dr Rajeev Narain Mishra
Meet The Star IPS Officer Dr Rajeev Narain Mishra | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Abhishek Singh's SECRET: Vipassana, Anthropology & Smart Answer Writing | Video Interview 
Abhishek Singh, UPSC CSE 2024 Rank 78, shares his journey: from IIT Hyderabad to civil services. He discusses...
UPSC Prelims 2025
Your Blueprint for UPSC Prelims Success
Master static subjects, practise PYQs and mocks, stay consistent, and remain calm—key lessons from UPSC...
UPSC Prelims 2025
Last-Minute Tips from UPSC CSE 2022 Toppers to Crack the Prelims | UPSC Prelims 2025
With UPSC CSE Prelims just days away, focus on core subjects, consistent revision, and current affairs....
Social Media
Anupam Sharma IFS
#BoycottTurkey: IFS Officer Anupam Sharma Sparks Nationalist Call to Action
IFS Sharma urged citizens to avoid Turkish agricultural imports
Vikram Misri IFS
United Front Against "Nameless" Trolls! After IAS, IPS, & IFoS Officers, Nation's Top Diplomats Rally in Support of Foreign Secy Vikram Misri
The trolling, coming from “nameless, faceless” sources, has sparked widespread condemnation, especially...
IPS Arun Bothra
“Bangalore Has Only USB Ports”: IPS Arun Bothra Mocks Viral Claim of Pakistan Navy Attack
A viral claim about Pakistan Navy destroying “Bangalore Port” drew ridicule, with officers mocking it...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Supreme Court of India SCI
SC Reinstates Woman Judicial Officer in Rajasthan, Stresses Importance of Gender Diversity in Judiciary
Anjali Sondhiya Secures 9th All-India Rank in IFS Exam
Anjali Sondhiya Secures 9th All-India Rank in IFS Exam 2024, Tops Madhya Pradesh - Know Her Incredible Journey
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
IMG-20250523-WA0036
Madhav Agarwal UPSC
Dr Rajeev Narain Mishra
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT