Sadanand Date appointed NIA chief

Key security agencies in India witness pivotal appointments, with IPS officers taking charge of NIA, BPR&D, and NDRF.

In a significant reorganisation within India's security apparatus, the Centre has announced pivotal appointments in key agencies, giving charge of the new Director General of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to distinguished IPS officer Sadanand Vasant Date, his batchmate Rajeev Kumar as chief of BPR&D and their one-year-old junior Piyush Anand as head of the NDRF.

Mr. Date, a 1990-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) office of Maharashtra cadre, has been appointed as the new Director General of the NIA for a tenure up to his superannuation on December 31, 2026, or until further orders as the incumbent chief of the anti-terror agency, Dinkar Gupta, will retire on March 31.

With an illustrious career marked by expertise in law enforcement, Mr. Date brings a wealth of experience to his new role. His appointment follows the retirement of the outgoing Director General, marking a seamless transition in leadership within the agency.

Meanwhile, Piyush Anand, a 1991-batch Uttar Pradesh cadre IPS officer, has been entrusted with the responsibility of leading the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Currently serving as the Special DG of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Mr. Anand's appointment comes amidst growing challenges in disaster management and response, highlighting the government's commitment to bolstering the nation's resilience against natural calamities.

He has been given the new charge for a period of two years from the date of joining the post or until further orders, as incumbent NDRF chief Atul Karwal will retire on March 31.

Simultaneously, Rajeev Kumar, an accomplished IPS officer from the Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed as the Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).