Senior IPS officer AS Rajan on Thursday, June 30, took over as the director of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA) at Hyderabad. The 1987 officer was on Monday transferred from his post of special director in the Intelligence Bureau to the National Police Academy in Hyderabad. Rajan hails from Theni district of Tamil Nadu and was in the Bihar cadre, but was moved to the IB two decades ago.
"In the past, terror attacks and crimes took place in very few areas, but now this is one of the threats people are facing around the world. The wars are not happening on the borders anymore. Wars and conflicts are happening on the streets where police are dealing with invisible enemies," the newly-appointed Police Academy chief said, speaking to TNM.
"I feel, at this juncture, as a responsible director of the police academy, who has served for this country for 35 years, we should give confidence to IPS trainees and give them training to combat new challenges that may emerge in the following decades," he added.
"Every year policemen sacrifice their lives to save this country from such invisible enemies and they play an important role in national security. Technology has changed the perspective of crimes and attacks. Cyber crimes have increased and attacks using drones have become one of the emerging challenges in recent days. Even weapons are mobilised using drones. To tackle such challenges, police officers should have training of international standards with advanced technologies. My priority is to improve this academy and training to match international standards. The quality of training will be improved too, to combat all international threats," Rajan told TNM.
Rajan was born and brought up in Theni, a southern district in Tamil Nadu, and he is a first-generation graduate in his family. He studied up to Class 10 in a government school in Odaipatti village. Later, he did his HSC at Nadar Saraswathi Higher Secondary school in Theni. He pursued his BA degree in History at Haji Karutha Rowther Hawdia college in Theni and obtained an MA degree in History at S Vellaichamy Nadar College in Madurai. He appeared for the UPSC exam and cleared the exam in his first attempt in 1987.
He began his career as a trainee IPS officer in Ranchi in the undivided Bihar after he was allotted IPS in the Bihar cadre. Later, he was appointed as an assistant superintendent of police at Sasaram. He was promoted as the SO of the Rohtas district. During his 12 years of service in Bihar, he worked in Rohtas, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Jehanabad, and East Champaran — districts that are seen as the toughest parts of the state.
In 1999, he joined the Intelligence Bureau after he opted for central deputation. As an IB officer, he served in New Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Ladakh, and UP. He also had a three-year stint as Minister (Coordination) at the Indian High Commission in London.