Aviation research boss to be new R&AW chief

Sanjeev Tripathi, a 1972-batch IPS officer, has been appointed the new chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and will take charge on December 30 on a two-year term.

Sanjeev Tripathi, a 1972-batch IPS officer, has been appointed the new chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and will take charge on December 30 on a two-year term.

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Government sources said Tripathi's orders were issued on Friday, a day after incumbent KC Verma put his offer to quit ahead of his term on paper.

Tripathi would have missed the bus if Verma had completed his two-year tenure. Tripathi was to retire on 31 December, a month ahead of Verma's tenure ending on January 31.

Tripathi has been heading the Aviation Research Centre (ARC), air surveillance division of R&AW, for the past three years. Tripathi's father-in-law, Gauri Shankar Bajpai, also headed R&AW in 1991-92.

Anand Arni (R&AW administrative service 1975) and Avadesh Bihari Mathur (IPS 1975) were other contenders for the job. IB special director Ajit Lal's name was also doing rounds. But the government has decided to go ahead with Tripathi's appointment.

Tripathi's name was also recommended in 2009 by Ashok Chaturvedi, who was heading the agency before Verma. At that time, the government didn't approve his name. Instead, the government appointed Verma, a rank outsider, as secretary (R).

Sources said that when Chaturvedi retired in 2009, three officers - PV Kumar, Rana Banerji and Tripathi - were the contenders for the top job.

But, the sources said, Chaturvedi recommended the name of Tripathi, who was juniormost among the three. The government didn't appoint Tripathi as R&AW chief then.