SSB gets first woman chief with Archana Ramasundaram's appointment

IPS officer Archana Ramasundaram created history after being appointed as the Chief of Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a force that guards the Indo-Nepal and the Indo-Bhutan borders. She has become the first woman to head a paramilitary force.

A 1980-batch IPS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, Sundaram is currently appointed as the Director of National Crime Records Bureau. Ramasundaram will be taking over from BD Sharma, a 1980-batch police officer of the West Bengal cadre.

The SSB, a 60,000-strong force, is mandated to guard Indian borders with Nepal and Bhutan even as it is deployed for a variety of internal security duties including conducting anti-Naxal operations in the states of Chhattisgarh and Bihar.

Sundaram saw turbulence in her career after she was placed under suspension on charges of "deserting office," barely hours after the official was virtually summoned by the Centre to take charge "immediately" as CBI's Additional Director two years ago. After prolonged legal proceedings, the suspension was withdrawn and the official is presently the Director of National Crime Records Bureau.