Who is Ravi Sinha? Ravi Sinha is a senior IPS officer of the 1988 batch of the Chhattisgarh cadre. He has been serving as the Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat since 2020. He has over 30 years of experience in various fields of policing and intelligence, including counter-terrorism, cyber security, internal security and foreign affairs.
Sinha has also served as the Director General of Police (DGP) of Chhattisgarh from 2018 to 2020, where he led the state police force in combating the Maoist insurgency and maintaining law and order. He has also held important positions in the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Sinha is known for his professionalism, integrity and dedication to his work. He has received several awards and accolades for his exemplary service, including the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service, the Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the Internal Security Medal.
What is Ravi Sinha role as the RAW chief?
Sinha has been appointed as the new chief of India’s external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), for a tenure of two years. He will take charge on July 1, 2023, after the completion of the tenure of Samant Kumar Goel, who has been heading RAW since June 2019.
As the RAW chief, Sinha will be responsible for overseeing India’s intelligence operations and covert activities abroad, as well as providing strategic inputs to the government on foreign policy and national security issues. He will also have to coordinate with other intelligence agencies, such as IB, NIA and CBI, as well as with foreign counterparts.
Sinha will have to deal with various challenges and opportunities in India’s external environment, such as:
- The evolving situation in Afghanistan after the withdrawal of US troops and the rise of Taliban.
- The growing assertiveness of China in Asia and beyond, especially in the Indo-Pacific region.
- The changing dynamics of India’s relations with its neighbors, such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
- The strengthening of India’s strategic partnerships with countries like the US, Russia, France, Japan and Australia.
- The emerging threats from terrorism, cyber-attacks, espionage and sabotage.
Sinha will also have to ensure that RAW maintains its operational effectiveness and technological edge in a rapidly changing world. He will have to foster a culture of innovation, collaboration and excellence within RAW and enhance its human resource development and capacity building.
Ravi Sinha, IPS (CG:88) to be the new Secretary, Research & Analysis Wing. pic.twitter.com/vEr3hfokZJ
— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2023
What are Ravi Sinha’s achievements as an IPS officer?
Sinha has a distinguished track record as an IPS officer in various capacities. Some of his notable achievements are:
- As DGP of Chhattisgarh, he successfully led the state police force in conducting several anti-Maoist operations that resulted in neutralizing many top cadres and leaders of the outlawed group. He also improved the morale and welfare of the police personnel and enhanced their training and equipment.
- As Special Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, he played a key role in facilitating inter-agency coordination and information sharing on matters related to national security and foreign affairs. He also handled sensitive assignments related to India’s external intelligence operations.
- As Joint Director in IB, he was involved in handling various aspects of counter-terrorism, cyber security, and internal security. He was instrumental in busting several terror modules and networks operating in India and abroad.
- As DIG in CBI, he supervised several high-profile cases involving corruption, fraud, and crime. He also headed the special investigation team (SIT) that probed the 2008 Malegaon blast case.
- As SP in NIA, he led the investigation into several terror cases linked to Pakistan-based groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). He also cracked some complex cases involving cybercrime and fake currency.
What are Ravi Sinha’s qualifications and background?
Sinha holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from IIT Kanpur and a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University. He also has a diploma in cyber law from the Asian School of Cyber Laws.
Sinha belongs to a family of civil servants and academics. His father was an IAS officer and his mother was a professor of economics. He has two brothers, who are also IPS officers, and a sister, who is a doctor.
Sinha is married to Anjali Sinha, who is an IRS officer and currently the Commissioner of Income Tax in Delhi. They have two children, a son and a daughter, who are pursuing their higher studies in the US.
Sinha is fluent in Hindi, English, and Chhattisgarhi. He is fond of reading, writing, and traveling. He has authored several articles and books on various topics related to policing, intelligence, and security.
