Elangbam ningol Yumlembam ongbi Krishna Kumari was born in 1944 at Elang Leikai of Imphal West district, Manipur. Her father late Elangbam Dobendro was a special contractor while mother Ibechaobi was a housewife.

Like most children at that time, she too was initially schooled at home. Later on she joined the Tamphasana Girls Higher Secondary School and studied there from Class III till Class X.

After passing her matriculation in 1960, she then did her Intermediate Schooling (known as IA) at Dhanamanjuri (DM) College, Imphal. She also completed her graduation in geography and political science from the same college in 1966.

Though the third child among thirteen siblings, she was the eldest daughter and as all daughters go, she too had her share of family responsibility and sacrifice from an early age.

From 1959 to 1964, her father was seriously ill and bedridden. Both her two elder brothers were studying outside at that time. “It was hard times. Unable to even afford to buy books, I had to make do with borrowed books from the library instead,” she recalls. However, she managed to endure the hurdle at that time and completed her studies.

In 1967, one of her uncles informed her that there is recruitment for sub-inspectors and asked her whether she would like to apply.

Krishna Kumari applied and was selected. She then underwent one year training at the newly established Manipur Police Training Centre at Pangei, learning the ropes of the new job such as driving, shooting, horse riding etc.

After the training she was given additional practical training for another year during which she learnt the nature of work in different departments of the police.

At the end of the training she was posted in Imphal and she started her new job with full vigour and enthusiasm. However the very nature of her work impelled her to leave her study for a law degree incomplete. At that time law courses used to be conducted in evening and night shifts at DM College.

Two years after she joined police service Krishna Kumari got married to Yumlembam Gokulchandra, an Inspector at the Secret Service Bureau (SSB), India. He is now retired from service.

Working as a police officer in trouble torn Manipur is hard work. The hardship is especially compounded for women due to their social, familial and mothering responsibilities.

“After my marriage, I tried hard and carried out all my responsibilities as a mou and as a mother. I might be a police personnel in office, but I also had other identities outside the office – as a mou in my family, as a woman in the locality. I have to play all those roles,” she explains.

“I had to sometimes leave my small breastfeeding children and go for days or weeks altogether for duty to another part of the state. However I managed to fulfill my work responsibilities. To me duty is duty and I will never shirk from fulfilling my duty,” she says.

Being the first lady police officer had its drawback as the local society looked won upon the women in uniforms at first. “With time and a greater understanding of our work, they began to accept us,” she says and acknowledges that the understanding nature of her own in-laws and husband has also played a crucial role in her work

“If one is lower than me, why should I oppress him/her. And if one is higher than me, why should I fawn before him/her. To me everyone is equal. This has been my basic principle which has guided me throughout my life,” she says.

A firm advocate for better facilities and rights of women police personnel in the state, Krishna Kumari also stuck to this principle and was at the receiving end of many skirmishes from higher officials and social bodies for it.

However, she remains undaunted even now after retirement. Krishna Kumari was promoted to Inspector in 1988 and retired from service at the end of December, 2001.

Perhaps this resistant and free spirit was inherent in her from an early age. During her college days she served as the Moral and Religion secretary in DM College.

She also actively took part in the famous Hunger Marcher’s agitation on 27th August, 1965. She now spends most of her time at her house in yaiskul Hiruhanba Leirak. She has five children – two sons and three daughters.

An expert left-handed shooter and member of the Manipur Rifles Shooting Association, Krishna Kumari has received the Governor’s award for shooting. She is also presently the president of the Nupilan and Khongjom War Memorial Society, Manipur.

Scholars regard that the history of the Manipur Police as old as the history of the Manipur and existed from the time of Pakhangba in 33.A.D. However, it was under the British administration during the reign of Churachand Maharaj in the early 1900s that the state police set-up began to exist on the pattern introduced in India as the State Military Police (SMP).

The SMP is the fore-runner of the Manipur Rifles Battalions. The first local officer who became the head of the State Police was A. Ramlal Singh also known as Meino Singh. The famous Sagolband Meino Leirak in Imphal is named after him.