Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police has marked a historic milestone with the appointment of Aparna Kumar, a 2002-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, as Joint Commissioner of Police, Lucknow. With this posting, she becomes the first woman officer to hold this senior command position in the state capital’s policing structure.
Her appointment is being widely seen as a significant step towards gender inclusion in top law-enforcement leadership roles, while also recognising an officer known for her exceptional administrative skills and extraordinary personal achievements.
A Leader Shaped by Discipline and Determination
Aparna Kumar is widely respected not only for her policing career but also for her global reputation as a high-altitude mountaineer. She is the first Indian civil servant to complete the prestigious Seven Summits challenge—scaling the highest mountain on each of the seven continents.
Her mountaineering feats include summiting Mount Everest in 2016, trekking to the South Pole while carrying nearly 35 kilograms of gear despite battling pneumonia, and climbing Mount Denali in North America. Remarkably, she completed the Seven Summits expedition within just six months.
These achievements earned her national recognition, including the Rani Lakshmi Bai Puraskar in 2015 and the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in 2018.
Strong Academic and Professional Foundation
Born on August 30, 1974, in Karnataka, Aparna Kumar is a law graduate from the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru. She cleared the Civil Services Examination in her very first attempt and joined the IPS in 2002.
In 2019, she became the first woman IPS officer to trek to the South Pole, adding another landmark to her record of historic firsts. She also served as the first woman Director of the ITBP Academy, a breakthrough moment in the institution’s six-decade history.
More recently, she completed a Master’s degree in Law from the University of California, Berkeley, returning to India shortly before assuming her Lucknow assignment. Prior to this posting, she served as Inspector General in the Human Rights Department.
Record of Historic Firsts
Over the years, Aparna Kumar has consistently broken barriers:
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First IPS officer to complete the Seven Summits
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First woman IPS officer to trek to the South Pole
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First woman Director of the ITBP Academy
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Mentor to the ITBP expedition that unfurled the national flag on Mount Balbala in 2021
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First woman Joint Commissioner of Police, Lucknow
Vision for Policing in the State Capital
As Joint Commissioner of Police, Aparna Kumar has outlined a clear and progressive vision. Her priorities include transparent and impartial investigations, increased use of forensic science and technology, data-driven policing to improve conviction rates, and ensuring firm law enforcement while upholding constitutional and human rights principles.
Her extensive field experience as Superintendent of Police in districts such as Firozabad, Hamirpur, Sitapur and Chitrakoot, along with assignments in Intelligence, PAC and Telecom wings, provides her with deep operational expertise. She has also served as Sports Secretary of the UP Police Board, reflecting her leadership across varied administrative domains.
Focus on Mentorship and Modernisation
Senior officials believe her exposure to international legal systems and interaction with global law-enforcement agencies will contribute to modernising investigative practices in Lucknow. Even while holding senior command responsibilities, Aparna Kumar is known for mentoring young officers and encouraging women to pursue leadership roles in public service.
A Symbol of Inspiration
From the world’s highest peaks to one of the most challenging police commands in the country, Aparna Kumar’s journey stands as a powerful symbol of resilience, discipline and visionary leadership. Her elevation is expected to inspire a new generation of women officers aspiring to leadership roles in uniform.
