Breaking new ground in the Canadian law enforcement landscape, Rajbeer Kaur Brar, a 35-year-old woman from Thandewala village near Fazilka, Punjab, has become the first turbaned woman constable to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Saskatchewan.
Born into an agrarian Sikh family, Rajbeer’s journey is a story of perseverance, faith, and resilience. An MSc (IT) graduate from Guru Gobind Singh College for Women, Chandigarh, she moved to Canada in 2016 after her marriage to Satvir Singh, a mechanical engineer from Faridkot who now works as a truck driver.
Rajbeer’s path to policing was anything but straightforward. She began her life in Canada working at a Walmart store, later serving briefly in the Canadian Reserve Army. Her unwavering determination and commitment to public service eventually bore fruit last year when she was selected for the RCMP. Having completed her rigorous training, she now proudly serves at Milestone, a small town in Saskatchewan.
“When the RCMP officials handed over her uniform, they told her she was the first turbaned woman in the force,” said her brother Beant Singh Khalsa, a dairy farmer. “We later confirmed it online. She has kept the spirit of Sikhism alive abroad, and we couldn’t be prouder.”
Rajbeer’s achievement is particularly significant within the Sikh community, symbolizing both cultural pride and gender empowerment. The turban, a sacred article of faith for Sikhs, has long been a point of identity and courage. In 1991, Baltej Singh Dhillon became the first RCMP officer permitted to wear a turban while on duty — a historic moment that reshaped uniform policy in Canada. Today, Dhillon, now a Canadian senator, continues to inspire generations of Sikh men and women who choose to serve in uniform.
For Rajbeer, this milestone is not just personal triumph but also a reflection of the growing diversity and inclusivity in Canada’s policing institutions. Her journey — from the fields of rural Punjab to the ranks of Canada’s iconic national police — stands as a testament to perseverance, cultural pride, and the breaking of barriers for women of faith around the world.
