RPF Bids Farewell to First Woman Director General Sonali Mishra at Dayabasti

New Delhi-  The Railway Protection Force (RPF) organised a grand Inspection-cum-Farewell Parade at the 6th Battalion of the Railway Protection Special Force (6BN/RPSF), Dayabasti, New Delhi, to honour its outgoing Director General, Sonali Mishra, IPS, ahead of her retirement on October 31, 2026.

The ceremony marked a significant occasion for the force as it bid farewell to its first woman Director General, recognising her distinguished career in public service and contributions towards strengthening railway security.

The event witnessed an impressive display of discipline, professionalism and dedication by RPF and RPSF personnel. Contingents representing various formations participated in a ceremonial march-past, presenting a guard of honour to the outgoing Director General.

Accompanied by the ceremonial tunes of the band, Mishra inspected the parade contingents and appreciated the personnel for their discipline, immaculate turnout and commitment to duty. The occasion reflected the strong bond between the leadership and members of the force.

Sonali Mishra assumed charge as Director General of the Railway Protection Force on August 1, 2025. During her tenure, she emphasised modernising the force, strengthening technology-based security systems and improving the professional capabilities of personnel.

Her leadership also focused on enhancing passenger safety, preventing crimes affecting railway operations and strengthening security measures across the extensive Indian Railways network.

A 1993-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, Mishra has served in several important administrative and security positions throughout her career.

During her service in Madhya Pradesh, she held key responsibilities in Jabalpur, Sehore and Indore. She also served as Superintendent of Police in Neemuch and Raisen and later as Inspector General of Police for the Jabalpur Range.

Her professional experience extended beyond India when she served with the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo during 2003–2004, gaining valuable exposure to international policing and security operations.

Mishra also held several senior positions in the Border Security Force (BSF), including Inspector General for the Kashmir and Punjab frontiers. She handled important intelligence and training responsibilities at BSF Headquarters, Western Command, and served as Director of the BSF Academy in Tekanpur.

Addressing the gathering, Mishra expressed her gratitude to the officers and personnel of the Railway Protection Force for their unwavering dedication to safeguarding passengers and railway infrastructure.

She acknowledged the round-the-clock efforts of RPF personnel and highlighted the importance of mutual trust, discipline and teamwork in maintaining an effective security force.

Reflecting on the ceremonial inspection, she described the occasion as more than a routine assessment of parade drills and uniforms, emphasising that it symbolised the trust and respect shared between a commander and the personnel serving under her leadership.

The farewell ceremony concluded on an emotional note, celebrating her decades of dedicated service and her historic role as the first woman to lead the Railway Protection Force.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Railways, RPF and RPSF attended the ceremony and joined personnel in honouring Mishra’s contributions to the organisation.