Leaving Medical Profession To Fighting Gender Discrimination, A Look At IPS Arti Singh’s

In the pursuit of becoming officers in the IAS, IPS, and IFS, many candidates make significant sacrifices, often giving up well-paying job opportunities. A similar story can be seen in the journey of IPS Arti Singh, who left her medical profession to become an IPS officer.

Arti Singh hails from Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. She completed her MBBS from BHU and started her career as a doctor in the Gynaecology Department. During this time, Arti noticed a stark difference in society’s reaction to the birth of a child based on gender. There was joy and celebration whenever a son was born, but the birth of a daughter was often met with silence.

In an interview, Arti shared that, on many occasions, people would abandon their newborn daughters. This deeply hurt her and continued to trouble her.

Determined to change this mindset and break these stereotypes, Arti decided to pursue a career in the Indian Police Service. She left her medical profession and began preparing for the UPSC examination. Despite facing criticism from her relatives, her determination remained unwavering. In 2006, she successfully cracked the UPSC examination.

In 2009, Arti was posted to Gadchiroli, a Naxal-affected district in Maharashtra, where encounters between police and Naxalites were common. Before her posting, 17 policemen had been killed in the area. During this time, elections were also approaching, but she managed to conduct them peacefully and recover a large amount of ammunition.

IPS Arti has served in various districts of Maharashtra. In 2020, she was commended for her efforts in preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Malegaon.

Arti Singh is regarded as one of the most fearless police officers, with over 17 years of service. She was allotted the Maharashtra cadre, marking the beginning of her journey. Currently, she holds the rank of IG officer. She is also known for investigating the Badlapur school case, where two children were sexually assaulted. She was appointed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) chief for this case. Before this, she served as the Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP) in Mumbai.

Driven by a strong sense of duty, IPS Arti Singh remained focused on this challenging journey, prioritising her desire to serve the nation over personal benefits.