<div style="display:inline" class="fn">Sandeep Rai Rathore</div>
Sandeep Rai Rathore | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968 (age 55–56) New Delhi, India |
| 🏫 Education | Kirori Mal College (BA) Delhi School of Economics (MA) Vellore Institute of Technology (PhD) |
| 💼 Occupation | |
| 👩 Spouse(s) | Shilpam Rathore |
Sandeep Rai Rathore is a 1992-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre. He is currently serving as the Director General of Police (DGP) for Elections and Law & Order in Tamil Nadu. The Election Commission of India appointed him to this role on 2 April 2026 ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election. He previously served as the 109th Commissioner of the Greater Chennai Police and the first Commissioner of the Avadi Police Commissionerate.
Early life and education
Sandeep Rai Rathore was born in 1968 in New Delhi, India.[1] He spent parts of his childhood in Kuwait due to his father's posting with Engineering Projects India Ltd. He completed his Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Geography from Kirori Mal College, Delhi, and subsequently earned a Master of Arts (MA) in Geography from the Delhi School of Economics.[2]
Pursuing higher education alongside his career, Rathore obtained an M.A. in Disaster Management from Annamalai University, an M.Phil from the University of Madras, and a doctorate (PhD) in Disaster Management from the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT).[3]
Career
Rathore cleared the Civil Services Examination and joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1992, being allocated the Tamil Nadu cadre.
During the early stages of his career, he served as the Superintendent of Police in Dindigul and Thoothukudi. In 2004, under his leadership, the Thoothukudi police district became the first in India to receive an ISO certification. He gained significant prominence in February 1998 as the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in Coimbatore City. During the 1998 Coimbatore bombings, he led a tactical operation to locate the perpetrators' hideouts, leading to the capture of the main accused.[1][2] In 2001, while serving as the Joint Commissioner of Traffic in Chennai, Rathore initiated the transition of the city's incandescent traffic lights to LED lights to reduce maintenance costs.[3]
Central Deputation
Rathore has served extensively on central deputation to the Government of India. He served as Commandant in Tihar Jail and later was a part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, for which he was awarded the UN Peacekeeping Medal in 2002.[3]
As a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), he was responsible for the security of the Delhi Metro and handled security operations during the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi. In 2012, he was appointed as the Inspector General (IG) of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). During his tenure at the NDRF, Rathore coordinated critical rescue operations across multiple massive disasters, including the 2013 Uttarakhand floods, the 2014 Jammu and Kashmir floods, the Mugalivakkam building collapse in Chennai, and the April 2015 Nepal earthquake.[4]
Return to Tamil Nadu
In January 2022, Rathore was appointed as the first Commissioner of Police for the newly bifurcated Avadi City Police Commissionerate. As the inaugural chief, he established the commissionerate's infrastructure and launched several community initiatives, including the Avadi night marathon aimed at raising awareness against drug abuse.[3]
He was promoted to the rank of Director General of Police (DGP) and appointed as the Head of the Tamil Nadu Police Academy (TNPA). On 30 June 2023, Rathore assumed charge as the 109th Commissioner of the Greater Chennai Police, succeeding Shankar Jiwal.[1] He held the post until July 2024, when the Tamil Nadu government replaced him with A. Arun following the high-profile murder of BSP leader K. Armstrong. Following this, Rathore was posted as the DGP of the Police Training College in Chennai.[5]
On 2 April 2026, ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, the Election Commission of India (ECI) appointed Rathore as the Director-General of Police (Elections and Law & Order) of Tamil Nadu. He replaced G. Venkataraman to head the state's police force to oversee election-related policing and ensure the free and fair conduct of the assembly polls.[6][7]
Awards and honours
- United Nations Medal (2002) for peace-keeping missions in Bosnia.
- President's Police Medal for Meritorious Service (2008).
- President's Police Medal for Distinguished Service (2015).[8][4]
Personal life
Sandeep Rai Rathore is married to Shilpam Rathore, a former airline professional and art expert. The couple has a son.[9]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Sandeep Rai Rathore takes charge as Chennai Police Commissioner". The Hindu. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "India's SOS Braveheart is Chennai's Pride". Ritz Magazine. 8 September 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Decorated IPS Sandeep Rai Rathore is new CP of Chennai city". The Times of India. 30 June 2023. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Independence day: Three NDRF men get President's medal". The Economic Times. 15 August 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "BSP leader K Armstrong's murder: Sandeep Rai Rathore transferred, A Arun new Chennai police Commissioner". The Economic Times. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "ECI appoints Sandeep Rai Rathore to head Tamil Nadu police; new Commissioners of Police for Tambaram, Madurai". The Hindu. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "Tamil Nadu assembly election 2026: Sandeep Rai Rathore appointed DGP". The Times of India. 2 April 2026. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "25 cops from Tamil Nadu get President's Police Medal". The Times of India. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
- ↑ "Partners in crime and service". The New Indian Express. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
External links
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