New Delhi: Illustrious IPS officer of 1988 batch, Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed the new Director General (DG) of the Border Security Force (BSF), one of the world’s largest border guarding forces. He is presently serving as the Special Director General (DG) of the BSF.

As per the official order issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Singh will take charge after August 31 after the retirement of IPS officer and ITBP DG SS Deswal, who is holding additional charge of the BSF DG after the tenure of Gujarat cadre officer Rakesh Asthana, ended in July.

It is worth stating that Singh’s father, retired IPS officer and former DG of UP Police Prakash Singh also headed the BSF as its DG in the past. The BSF is about 2.65 lakh personnel in strength, which guards over 6,300 kms of Indian fronts with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

An officer of impeccable integrity, overtly humble and brilliant track record, Singh is an alumnus of prestigious Hindu College, Delhi University. He has also served as IG, Operations, CRPF. Singh’s tenure as ADG Rajasthan was especially noteworthy for his visionary push to the Police Force. Among multiple innovations, he designed and steered enhanced public interface of Rajasthan Police through innovative social media campaigns. The humane side of police came to fore during his stint, and social media played a critical role in making Rajasthan Police as among the most innovative in its use of this new medium. 

Singh has done a one year deputation to the United Nations ‘Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina’ in 1997-98 and headed the Induction Training Session there and where he represented the UN and went to three countries in South America – Argentine, Uruguay and Chile to select officers from these countries for the UN Mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

An IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, Singh has also served in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In fact, Singh has earned huge accolades for this tireless efforts in steering the campaign BSF Maitri Rally - a 4090 km, 66-day bicycle rally as a mark of respect to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman for his birth anniversary on March 17, and for "better relations across the border”. Thirteen BSF jawans travelled by cycle along border roads of Bengal, Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya before they concluded the journey at Silkore border outpost in Mizoram on March 17 to coincide with the birth anniversary of Rahman, known in Bangladesh as the "Father of the Nation”. He also served as Additional DG, Eastern Command, BSF

Singh has authored a book titled – ‘Journey to the land of Shiva’ and published several articles. His educational qualifications involve B Sc (Hons) Physics, LLB, M Phil, and PG Diploma in Business Administration. He has been the recipient of several awards such as President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, UN Peace Medal for services in Bosnia, and Police Medal for Meritorious Service. 

The Central government also appointed 1988-batch IPS officers Sanjay Arora (Tamil Nadu cadre) and Balaji Srivastav (AGMUT cadre) as the new heads of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), respectively. /BI/