New Delhi: Gyanendra Pratap Singh, a senior IPS officer from the 1991 batch of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, has been appointed as the Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). Singh, who is serving as the Director General of Police (DGP) in Assam, has been selected for this prominent role following a recommendation from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
 

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet confirmed Singh’s appointment in an order issued on January 18. His tenure as CRPF chief will extend until his superannuation on November 30, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. He takes over from Vitul Kumar, a 1993-batch IPS officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre, who has been serving as the acting chief since the retirement of Anish Dayal Singh on December 31, 2024. Singh has his task cut out as DG of one of India’s most esteemed Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). 

The CRPF, initially established as the Crown Representatives Police on July 27, 1939, assumed its current name when the CRPF Act was passed on December 28, 1949, marking 85 years of glorious history. The force has since evolved into a substantial and diverse organization with a Directorate, four Zonal Headquarters, 21 Administrative Sectors, 2 Operational Sectors, 39 Administrative Ranges, 17 Operational Ranges, 43 Group Centres, 22 Training Institutions, 4 Composite Hospitals (with 100-bed facilities), 18 Composite Hospitals (with 50-bed capacities), 6 Field Hospitals, 3 Central Weapon Stores (CWS), 7 Ammunition Workshops (AWS), 201 General Duty Battalions (GD Bns), 6 VIP Security Battalions, 6 Mahila Battalions, 16 Rapid Action Force (RAF) Battalions, 10 CoBRA Battalions, 7 Signal Battalions, 1 Parliament Duty Group (PDG) and 1 Special Duty Group (SDG). 

During his tenure as Assam’s top cop, Singh led an aggressive crackdown on corruption, illegal weapons, and the drug trade. His leadership saw Assam intensify its efforts against cross-border drug cartels, resulting in multiple busts. One of his notable achievements was leading the special anti-rhino poaching task force, which achieved the remarkable feat of making 2022 a zero rhino poaching year after 45 years.

Singh’s career is marked by a tough and proactive approach to law enforcement. His experience includes a tenure with the Special Protection Group (SPG) and a central deputation to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as Inspector General from 2013 to 2019. He was called back to Assam in December 2019 as Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) to handle the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. His management of the situation and tactical handling of the same demonstrated his decisive leadership.

While in the Northeast, Singh served as the Inspector General (IG) of North Assam, Bodoland, and Guwahati. He was deeply involved in operations against the banned outfit, United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), showcasing his commitment to maintaining peace and security in the region. In addition to his law enforcement roles, Singh also served as the Director of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption in Assam. 


His law enforcement journey also includes a six-year stint with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as Inspector General, where he worked on several militancy-related cases in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeastern region, and Punjab. Notably, Singh supervised the NIA’s cases involving targeted killings of RSS leaders in Punjab between 2016 and 2017 and dealt with the terror funding case in Kashmir. His expertise in handling militancy cases, especially in the Northeast, further solidified his reputation as a tough and proactive officer.

Singh is also well-known for his active presence and engagement on social media, with a following of over 214,000 on X. Following his appointment as CRPF chief, he shared a message of gratitude to the Kamakhya goddess. His family has a strong connection to law enforcement, with one of his daughters serving as an IPS officer in the Delhi Police under the AGMUT cadre. Later on Sunday, after a review meeting in Upper Assam, he posted, “A routine review visit to Upper Assam turning into farewell visit. At the Tinsukia SP Office this morning.” 
 

कामाख्ये कामसम्पन्ने कामेश्वरि हरप्रिये। कामनां देहि मे नित्यं कामेश्वरि नमोऽस्तु ते ॥🙏

— GP Singh (@gpsinghips) January 18, 2025

In an interview with Bureaucrats India in August 2021, Singh reflected on his experiences working with two former Prime Ministers, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, praising them as exceptional leaders and reflecting on the valuable lessons he learned under their leadership.

"The credit to all my success goes to my mother and father," Singh shared. "The seed of joining Civil Services was sown by my father, whom I lost to cancer in 2003, and my mother, who passed away in 2017. My family, including my wife, who quit civil service to look after the family, has been tremendously supportive. I remember roaming in jungles for weeks and my wife waiting at the doorstep awake for many days, " Singh shared with Bureaucrats India. A quintessential family man and proud father of two daughters, Singh’s family is equally illustrious. His elder daughter is an IPS officer working with Delhi Police, and son-in-law is an IAS officer. His younger son-in-law is also an IPS officer. 

Singh was also featured in our list of the 'Top 22 bureaucrats who made a difference in 2022'.

This new role as CRPF chief marks another significant milestone in Singh’s career, bringing his expertise and leadership to one of India’s most crucial paramilitary forces.