In a serendipitous development, three eminent women bureaucrats are leading the IAS, IPS & IFS cadre services in Maharashtra, respectively. The three top officials, IAS Sujata Saunik, IPS Rashmi Shukla, & IFS Shomita Biswas, have been shattering glass ceilings to emerge as the epitome of women empowerment in the zenith of All India Services!
Maharashtra’s Chief Secretary, IAS Sujata Saunik:
On June 30th, Officer Sujata Saunik (1987 batch) registered her name in history by becoming Maharashtra’s first female Chief Secretary. It is pertinent to mention that her husband, Mr. Manoj Saunik, also an IAS officer, retired from the post of Chief Secretary of the state last year. Thus, this is the first time that a husband and a wife have been appointed as the Chief Secretary of the state!
Mrs. Sujata Saunik is a 2017-2018 TechMi Fellow at Harvard University’s Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health and she also completed a fellowship from the Mittal South Asia Institute in 2019 on public health, climate change and disaster management issues.
Maharashtra’s Director General of Police, IPS Rashmi Shukla:
Ms. Rashmi Shukla, a 1988-batch IPS officer, was appointed the state DGP only six months ago. Much like IAS Sujata Saunik, IPS Shukla is also the first lady to hold the highest rank in her respective field (in the state police force). She left for the Central Deputation in February 2021 and joined as ADG of CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force). Before being posted on a central deputation, she held several key posts in Maharashtra, including serving as the Pune police commissioner and director of the state intelligence wing.
Maharashtra’s Principal Chief Forest Conservator, IFS Shomita Biswas:
Ms. Shomita Biswas, a 1988-batch IFS officer, became the first woman officer in the history of Principal Chief Forest Conservator of the state (the third most important post in the state).
These three women are the proponents of change and their authority symbolises a lethal jab to the face of patriarchy!
