Meet four IPS officers promoted as Additional DGP in Telangana; major re-shuffle likely

Four IPS officials of the 1995 batch have been empanelled for promotion to the rank of Additional Director-General of Police in Telangana. The IPS officials include Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS) Secretary RS Praveen Kumar, Telangana State-Level Police Recruitment Board Chairman VV Srinivasa Rao, Women Safety Wing head Swati Lakra and Rachakonda Police Commissioner Mahesh M Bhagwat.

Swati Lakra, IPS

Born and brought up in Ranchi, she did her schooling at Loreto Convent School in Ranchi. She completed a degree from the prestigious Lady Shri Ram College for Women in Political Science. She joined the IPS in 1995. Initially, she was posted in her hometown but later she got transferred to Andhra Pradesh. She was posted as Additional Commissioner of Police for Crime and SIT in Hyderabad. She initiated the 'SHE' project in Hyderabad and has been applauded several times for the same.

Mahesh Bhagwat, IPS

Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat is an officer from the 1995 batch. He did his Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Osmania University. He has served as the first commissioner of the Police of Rachakonda. The officer participated in anti-trafficking operations that have removed hundreds of victims from situations of trafficking. He has many awards to his credit like ACP Civil & Human Rights award 2018, 2017 Top 100 human trafficking & slavery influence leaders, 2017 Trafficking in-person report Hero, Union Home Minister Commendation Disc, Indian Police Medal for Meritorious service, to name a few.

RS Praveen Kumar, IPS

Dr Repalle Shiva Praveen Kumar was born in 1967 in Alampur, Mahabubnagar (Dist) in Telangana. A 1995 batch police officer, he voluntarily chooses to work with Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions. He worked as superintendent of Police for Karimnagar District. He is working as the Secretary of Telangana Social Welfare and Tribal Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society of Government of Telangana, which gives free quality education to thousands of most marginalised children, dalits, and adivasis. He is the founder member of Swaeroes International.

VV Srinivasa Rao, IPS

Telangana State-Level Police Recruitment Board Chairman VV Srinivasa Rao is a 1995 batch officer who was Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City. In 2018, he inaugurated the Pre-recruitment Coaching Programme for the Posts of Police Constable Conducted by East Zone.

Sources state that the four officers have been retained at present postings and the Government is likely to do a major reshuffle of police officers in the state.