India's first woman DGP, Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya passes away
Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, India's first woman Director General of Police (DGP), passed away late last night in Mumbai, following a long illness. She was 72. Reportedly, she had been undergoing treatment at a local hospital for the past five-six months. Hailing from Himachal Pradesh, Bhattacharya, a 1973 batch IPS officer, was the second woman IPS officer of India, after Kiran Bedi. Here's her journey.
Uttarakhand Police took to its official Twitter account to express grief over the late officer's death. "Uttarakhand Police pays condolences to the relatives of the state's former DGP, Ms. Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya, and remembers her past contributions, upon her demise," it wrote.
प्रदेश की पूर्व DGP श्रीमती कंचन चौधरी भट्टाचार्य, 1973 बैच की IPS अधिकारी, जो कुछ समय से बीमार चल रही थी, के निधन पर #UttarakhandPolice उनके परिजनों के प्रति शोक संवेदना व्यक्त करते हुए उत्तराखंड पुलिस में उनके द्वारा दिए गए अभूतपूर्व योगदान को याद करती है।@IPS_Association pic.twitter.com/dmk3IRthg6
— Uttarakhand Police (@uttarakhandcops) August 26, 2019
Bhattacharya scripted history when she was appointed the DGP of Uttarakhand in 2004. During her 33-year-long career, she also served as the Inspector General in Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). She was conferred the President's police medal for distinguished services in 1997. Moreover, she received the Rajiv Gandhi Award for Excellent All-Round Performance in 2004. She retired as the DGP on October 31, 2007.
Notably, Bhattacharya handled some sensitive cases, including the infamous murder of National badminton champion Syed Modi, and Reliance-Bombay Dyeing case. Interestingly, she also made a guest appearance on the hit television series Udaan, directed by her sister Kavita Chaudhary, that aired on Doordarshan in late 1980s. The show was based on her life, depicting her struggles in becoming an IPS officer.
To note, Bhattacharya, after retirement, also tried her hands at politics. She contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Haridwar constituency (Uttarakhand) on an Aam Aadmi Party ticket, but lost. She came fourth, following candidates from the BJP, Congress, and the BSP.
We mourn the demise of one of our icons, the first lady DGP and second lady IPS officer of India, Kanchan Chaudhary Bhattacharya. An officer with sterling qualities of head and heart, she had an illustrious career, adorned with many firsts and awards. #RIPKanchanChaudharyMaam pic.twitter.com/uslR2Lj6dT
— IPS Association (@IPS_Association) August 27, 2019
