Updated on: August 14, 2026
Rakesh Asthana, the retired 1984-batch Gujarat cadre IPS officer and former Delhi Police Commissioner, has long stayed in the public eye for high-profile investigations. Yet his wife, Anu Asthana, has largely preferred a quieter path. While her husband handled major cases from the Fodder Scam to terror probes and later led the Delhi Police until his retirement on 31 July 2022, Anu focused on family, professional work, and quiet support. This post brings together the verified public details about her life, family, and the role she played alongside one of India’s well-known police officers.
Table of Contents
Who is Anu Asthana?
Anu Asthana is the wife of former Delhi Police Commissioner and ex-Special Director of the CBI, Rakesh Asthana. She has maintained a low public profile throughout her husband’s long career. Unlike many spouses of senior officers who actively seek media attention, Anu has stayed away from the limelight. Public records and reports show she worked with an insurance company earlier in her career. During Rakesh Asthana’s tenure as Police Commissioner of Vadodara, she is known to have sold insurance policies to local industrialists, earning through her professional efforts.
Her approach reflects a practical, independent streak. She balanced household responsibilities with her own work while her husband moved across postings in Gujarat and central agencies. When Rakesh Asthana took charge as Delhi Police Commissioner in 2021, Anu Asthana stepped into a visible welfare role. She assumed charge as President of the Police Welfare Family Association (PFWS). In that position she focused on supporting families of police personnel, stressing that officers on duty needed assurance that their families were looked after.
Rakesh Asthana and Anu Asthana’s Family Life
The couple has two children. Their son is Ankush Asthana. They also have a daughter whose wedding took place in Vadodara in November 2016. The wedding events, held over two days including a sangeet, drew attention later because of the venues and arrangements used. Sources close to the family stated that Anu Asthana handled certain bills for the large gathering that included guests from across the country.
Rakesh Asthana was born on 9 July 1961 in Ranchi (then Bihar, now Jharkhand). His father, H.R. Asthana, taught physics at the prestigious Netarhat Vidyalaya. The family background is rooted in education and discipline, values that appear to have carried into the Asthana household. Anu and Rakesh have kept their personal life largely private even as his career took him through high-pressure roles in the CBI, BSF, NCB, and finally Delhi Police.
Here is a quick overview of key family information:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Wife’s Name | Anu Asthana |
| Husband | Rakesh Asthana (IPS, 1984 batch) |
| Son | Ankush Asthana |
| Daughter | Name not publicly disclosed |
| Daughter’s Wedding | November 2016, Vadodara |
| Husband’s Retirement | 31 July 2022 |
| Notable Role of Wife | President, Police Welfare Family Association (2021) |
Anu Asthana’s Professional Side and Support Role
Anu Asthana’s insurance work shows she built her own professional identity. Reports from the period when Rakesh served as Vadodara Police Commissioner note that she actively engaged with industrialists for insurance policies. This independent earning is often cited in discussions around the family’s financial matters during later investigations into the daughter’s wedding arrangements.
Beyond professional work, her stint as PFWS President highlighted a supportive side. She interacted with Delhi Police welfare teams and emphasised the need to care for families of officers posted in different segments. She encouraged younger officers’ wives to participate and carry forward the association’s work. This role came at a time when her husband was introducing changes in Delhi Police, including better representation of women officers in station command positions.
Life After Retirement and Public Image
Since Rakesh Asthana’s retirement in 2022, the couple has maintained a low profile. He has appeared at occasional public events, and photographs from a 2022 golf club ceremony show him accompanied by his wife. Anu continues to stay away from media glare. The family has faced public scrutiny in the past, particularly around the 2016 wedding and related CBI inquiries, yet Anu’s name has rarely featured in personal controversies.
Key points about Anu Asthana’s public presence include:
- Preferred privacy over publicity throughout her husband’s career
- Professional experience in the insurance sector
- Active involvement in police family welfare during the Delhi posting
- Focus on family support rather than independent public recognition
Her story is typical of many spouses of senior IPS officers who provide steady backing while managing their own responsibilities and the demands of frequent transfers.
Conclusion
Anu Asthana remains a private figure even as her husband Rakesh Asthana built a high-visibility career in Indian policing. From her insurance profession to her brief but meaningful role in police family welfare, she has chosen substance over spotlight. The couple’s family life centres on their son Ankush and daughter, with the 2016 Vadodara wedding remaining one of the few events that brought the family into wider public discussion. As of August 2026, both continue to live away from constant media attention. Anu Asthana’s journey shows how quiet strength and professional independence often form the unseen foundation behind long public service careers.