Rina Mitra could have become the first female CBI chief but failed to make the cut due to a day’s delay in the selection process.
Recently retired, Mitra was a 1983 batch IPS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre, before she was appointed as the state’s principal internal security advisor by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The former IPS officer was serving as Special Secretary, Internal Security, in the Home Ministry since March 2017. She was one of the 12 officials shortlisted for the post of CBI director.
“I did qualify on all parameters to be considered for the selection to head the premier investigation body of the country… I was indeed the senior-most officer fulfilling all the four essential criteria including experience in CBI and anti-corruption… However, an easily avoidable delay of just one day in the selection process ensured that I was bumped out of the race and no longer in contention,” Mitra wrote in a column for The Telegraph.
Born on September 1, 1959, she grew up in Asansol. She graduated from Lady Brabourne College in Kolkata and completed her post-graduation in Literature from Calcutta University. She later got an MPhil from National Defence College.
She had served in the Union government in various capacities and had also won the Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 1999. In 2008, she received the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service.
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