Alok Joshi appointed next RAW head

Senior IPS officer Alok Joshi was on Tuesday appointed as chief of country's external intelligence gathering agency Research and Analysis Wing.

According to an official order issued today, Joshi(59), a 1976 batch officer of Haryana Cadre who is at present Special Secretary in RAW, will take over the reins of the key agency on December 30.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh approved Joshi's appointment as Secretary (RAW) for a period of two years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, the order said. Joshi will succeed Sanjeev Tripathi whose tenure ends on December 29.

Joshi has served in Intelligence Bureau and Haryana Police with key operations in Nepal and Pakistan to his credit.

Following the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, greater coordination has been expected between RAW and the IB than ever before. Joshi has served in both the organisations.

In another appointment cleared by the ACC, Yashovardhan Azad, a 1976 batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, presently Special Director in IB, has been appointed as Secretary (Security).

Azad will look after the administration of Special Protection Group, responsible for closely monitoring the security arrangements of the prime minister, former prime ministers and members of their immediate families in India and abroad.

The post was lying vacant following superannuation of A B Mathur, IPS.

Azad, who has expertise in handling security division at the IB, had also visited Pakistan a few years back to oversee the security of Indian cricket team visiting that country.

The committee also cleared the appointment of T Y Das, a 1982 batch IAS officer from Assam-Meghalaya cadre, as Secretary in the Central Information Commission.

Das is at present Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region.