Madhya Pradesh-cadre IPS officer Anu Beniwal has returned to duty after ten weeks of maternity leave. In a social media post, she shared photographs with her newborn daughter and described the experience of resuming service after childbirth.
Beniwal thanked her daughter for the strength and affection she has found in motherhood, while also referring to sleepless nights and physical changes after delivery.
“Joined back my service with my baby girl after taking ten weeks of maternity leave, after spending a lot of sleepless nights and after shedding 14 kgs of weight!” she wrote.
“Incredibly grateful and thankful to my little bundle of joy for making me feel so deeply loved and strong!” she added.
Her route to the Indian Police Service
Beniwal faced personal and financial challenges while preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination. She did not secure selection in her first two attempts, but continued pursuing her goal of joining the civil services.
In her third attempt, she secured All India Rank (AIR) 638. She appeared for the examination again and improved her rank to AIR 217, earning a place in the Indian Police Service. She was allotted the Madhya Pradesh cadre.
Returning to service after childbirth
Beniwal’s return to duty brings together the demands of public service and the transition to motherhood. Her account offers a personal description of that experience, including the physical and emotional changes she has faced since childbirth.
Her journey—from setbacks in the UPSC examination to joining the IPS, and now returning to work as a new mother—reflects her persistence in pursuing a demanding professional career while taking on family responsibilities.
