ITBP Director General Takes on Additional BSF Responsibilities
Praveen Kumar, the Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), has assumed additional charge as the Director General of the Border Security Force (BSF). This follows the retirement of Daljit Singh Chawdhary, the previous BSF Director General.
Handover Ceremony
The handover of responsibilities occurred at a BSF camp in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Daljit Singh Chawdhary, an IPS officer from the 1990 batch of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, passed the baton to Praveen Kumar, a 1993-batch officer from the West Bengal cadre.
Normally, this ceremony takes place at the force headquarters in Delhi, but it was moved to Raipur because both directors general were attending the DGs-IGs national police conference.
Official Order
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order on Friday assigning the additional charge to Kumar. He will hold the position "till the appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier."
Praveen Kumar's Background
Before becoming the 35th Director General of the ITBP in October, Praveen Kumar held several key positions at both the state and central levels. He has also served in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) since 2009. Previously, he was the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Midnapore Range, overseeing security forces in Naxal-affected areas.
Initiatives as ITBP DG
During his time as ITBP DG, Praveen Kumar announced the establishment of 10 all-woman forward posts along the 3,488-km India-China border, stretching from the Karakoram Pass in Ladakh to Diphu La in Arunachal Pradesh.
Daljit Singh Chawdhary's Tenure
Daljit Singh Chawdhary became the BSF DG in August 2024. He led 'Operation Sindoor' in May, during which Indian defence forces targeted terrorist camps in Pakistan in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22.
Chawdhary is a four-time police gallantry medal recipient and is credited with establishing the BSF's first drone squadron and training school. He also advocated for increased promotions for the force's personnel and granted out-of-turn promotions to sportspersons who excelled for the force.
Key Achievements
- Led 'Operation Sindoor'
- Established BSF's first drone squadron
- Advocated for increased promotions
Visit to Manipur
In May, Chawdhary visited Manipur to assess the law-and-order situation and immigration enforcement in the state, which has been affected by ethnic violence.
About the BSF
The BSF, comprising approximately 2.70 lakh personnel, is primarily responsible for guarding India's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh. They also perform various internal security duties.
