Centre Clears Major IPS Leadership Appointments: Janmejaya Khanduri, Nitasha Guria, Rahul S Among 8 Officers Elevated to Key Security Posts
In a significant round of senior-level appointments, the Central Government has approved the elevation and posting of eight Indian Police Service (IPS) officers to key leadership positions across some of the country’s most important security, investigative, border management, research, and police training institutions.
The appointments, notified on Saturday, cover a broad spectrum of organizations including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Investigation Agency (NIA), Border Security Force (BSF), Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVP NPA). Most of the officers elevated through these orders belong to the 2007 and 2008 IPS batches and bring with them years of operational, investigative, administrative, and field-level experience.
The latest reshuffle is being viewed as part of the Centre’s continuing effort to strengthen leadership structures across India’s internal security framework at a time when border management, counter-terrorism operations, police modernization, and professional training remain among the government’s key priorities.
Janmejaya Khanduri Elevated as Inspector General in ITBP
One of the most prominent appointments in the latest round is that of Janmejaya Khanduri, a 2007-batch IPS officer of the Uttarakhand cadre.
Currently serving as Deputy Director in the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Khanduri has now been appointed as Inspector General in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), one of India’s most strategically important Central Armed Police Forces.
According to the official notification, he will hold the position for the remainder of his central deputation tenure, which is scheduled to continue until February 9, 2030. His central deputation tenure has been counted from February 10, 2025.
The appointment places Khanduri in a critical leadership role within the ITBP, the force tasked with guarding India’s sensitive and challenging Himalayan frontier with China. The organization has become increasingly important in recent years due to heightened focus on border infrastructure, surveillance capabilities, and operational preparedness along high-altitude sectors.
Dr Rohini Katoch Sepat Promoted as Joint Director at SVP NPA
The Centre has also approved the elevation of Dr Rohini Katoch Sepat to the position of Joint Director at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.
Before this promotion, she was serving as Deputy Director at the Academy.
SVP NPA, headquartered in Hyderabad, serves as India’s premier police training institution and is responsible for shaping the future leadership of the Indian Police Service. The Academy conducts foundational training for IPS probationers while also organizing specialized programmes, mid-career courses, and advanced leadership training for senior police officers.
Officials believe Dr Sepat’s elevation will contribute significantly to strengthening the Academy’s academic, administrative, and training functions.
Dr Ram Niwas Sepat Elevated to Joint Director
In another important development concerning the National Police Academy, Dr Ram Niwas Sepat has also been elevated from Deputy Director to Joint Director.
The promotion reflects the government’s emphasis on reinforcing leadership within institutions responsible for developing future police leaders. As policing becomes increasingly technology-driven and security challenges continue to evolve, training institutions such as SVP NPA have assumed even greater importance in preparing officers for complex operational environments.
With experienced officers moving into senior positions, the Academy is expected to further strengthen its focus on leadership development, professional excellence, and modern policing practices.
Nitasha Guria Becomes Inspector General in BPR&D
Another notable appointment involves Nitasha Guria, who has been elevated from Deputy Inspector General to Inspector General in the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).
The BPR&D occupies a unique position within India’s policing framework. It serves as the country’s apex institution for police reforms, modernization initiatives, research projects, correctional administration studies, capacity building, and the development of best practices in law enforcement.
Over the years, the organization has played a major role in driving technological adoption, improving training standards, strengthening forensic capabilities, and enhancing institutional effectiveness across police forces.
Guria’s elevation is expected to provide additional momentum to several ongoing modernization and reform initiatives aimed at improving policing standards nationwide.
Vikas Burman Elevated as Inspector General in ITBP
The government has also approved the appointment of Vikas Burman as Inspector General in the Indo-Tibetan Border Police.
Prior to his elevation, Burman was serving as Deputy Inspector General within the force. He will continue in ITBP at the higher rank for the remainder of his tenure, which extends until September 4, 2029.
His promotion comes at a time when the force continues to expand its operational capabilities across some of the most difficult terrains in the world. Border infrastructure development, surveillance enhancement, rapid response preparedness, and troop welfare remain among the key focus areas for the organization.
The addition of experienced officers at the Inspector General level is expected to further strengthen operational leadership within the force.
Vikas Pathak Elevated in Border Security Force
Another significant appointment is that of Vikas Pathak, who has been promoted from Deputy Inspector General to Inspector General in the Border Security Force.
The BSF remains India’s first line of defence along the international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. The force plays a crucial role not only in guarding national frontiers but also in countering infiltration, trans-border crimes, smuggling networks, and other security threats.
Pathak’s elevation comes as the BSF continues to invest heavily in technological modernization, smart surveillance systems, border fencing upgrades, and operational readiness.
His experience is expected to contribute to the force’s ongoing efforts to strengthen border security management.
Rahul S Elevated as Inspector General in NIA
The Central Government has also approved the promotion of Rahul S from Deputy Inspector General to Inspector General in the National Investigation Agency.
The NIA is India’s premier counter-terrorism investigation agency and is entrusted with probing some of the country’s most sensitive national security cases.
Over the years, the agency has handled investigations involving terrorism financing, extremist networks, organized criminal syndicates, cross-border conspiracies, and other complex security-related offences.
Rahul S will continue serving in the organization for the remainder of his deputation tenure, bringing valuable investigative and operational experience to the agency’s senior leadership team.
Davuluri Shravan Elevated to Inspector General in NIA
Joining Rahul S in the latest round of promotions is Davuluri Shravan, who has also been elevated from Deputy Inspector General to Inspector General in the National Investigation Agency.
His promotion adds further depth to the agency’s leadership structure at a time when national security challenges continue to evolve in both scale and complexity.
The NIA has increasingly focused on dismantling terror ecosystems, tracking financial networks linked to extremist organizations, combating organized crime syndicates, and addressing emerging transnational threats.
Experienced officers like Shravan are expected to play an important role in steering high-profile investigations and strengthening inter-agency coordination.
Strategic Leadership Strengthening Across India’s Security Architecture
Taken together, the latest appointments represent a significant strengthening of leadership across multiple pillars of India’s security and policing ecosystem.
From border protection and counter-terrorism investigations to police modernization and officer training, the officers elevated through these orders will occupy positions that directly influence national security, law enforcement effectiveness, and institutional development.
Many of the officers have accumulated extensive experience through state cadre postings, field assignments, specialized operational roles, and central deputation tenures. Their elevation reflects not only professional accomplishment but also the Centre’s confidence in their ability to lead complex organizations during a period of rapidly changing security challenges.
As these officers assume their new responsibilities, they are expected to contribute to enhancing operational efficiency, strengthening institutional capabilities, promoting modernization initiatives, and supporting the broader objective of building a more resilient and responsive internal security framework for the country.
The appointments also signal the government’s continuing focus on placing seasoned and experienced IPS officers in critical positions across India’s security architecture, ensuring that key institutions remain equipped to address both present and emerging challenges.
