IPS Shivadhar Reddy is the new DGP of Telangana

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Friday appointed senior IPS officer Battula Shivadhar Reddy as the new Director General of Police (DGP).

He takes over from Dr Jithender, who retired on attaining the age of superannuation.

Appointment Orders issued

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy handed over the appointment orders to Shivadhar Reddy.

A government order issued by Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao stated that he will serve as DGP (Coordination) and hold full additional charge as DGP (Head of Police Force).

From Law to Policing

An Indian Police Service officer of the 1994 batch, Shivadhar Reddy was a practising lawyer before joining the IPS.

Born and brought up in Hyderabad, he completed his schooling and higher education in the city and earned an LLB from Osmania University. Following state bifurcation in 2014, he was allotted to the Telangana cadre.

Three decades of service

During his 30-year-long career, he served in multiple key postings at district, state, and international levels:

Field Assignments:

Began as ASP in Anakapalli, Narsipatnam, and Chintapalli sub-divisions of Visakhapatnam district. Later served with the elite Greyhounds in Adilabad.

District Leadership:

Superintendent of Police in Nalgonda, Srikakulam, Nellore, and Guntur.

City Postings:

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) in 2004 and DCP (South Zone), Hyderabad in 2007–08.

Specialised Roles:

Headed the Special Intelligence Branch (SIB), served as Director and Additional Director of ACB, and was Commissioner of Police, Visakhapatnam (2012–14).

International Stint:

Deputed to the United Nations Mission in Kosovo as part of a peacekeeping mission.

Intelligence Chief

In 2014, he became the first Chief of Intelligence in the newly formed Telangana. He was reinstated in the role in December 2023 after the Congress Government came to power.

Following his promotion in 2024, he continued as DGP (Intelligence) until his latest elevation.

Reputation and Achievements

Known as a no-nonsense and fair officer, Shivadhar Reddy is widely respected for his impartiality and professionalism. He played a pivotal role in tackling Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) and dismantling terror networks across states.

Awards and Decorations

His contributions have been recognised with several honours, including:

Police Medal for Gallantry (2002)

Antrik Suraksha Seva Medal (2003)

United Nations Peace Medal (2003)

Indian Police Medal for Meritorious Service (2011)

President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service (2020)

Ati Utkrisht Seva Padak (2023)

Asadharan Aasuchana Kushalta Padak (2018)

He also received a Commendation Letter from the Director of Intelligence Bureau in 2015.