Prakash Singh is a retired 1959-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) Uttar Pradesh cadre police officer. After his retirement, he often made headlines for taking legal action to force police reforms. In December 2022, he appeared on the Sony TV show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC).
Wiki/Biography
Prakash Singh was born on Friday, January 10, 1936, in Azamgarh, United Provinces of British India (now Uttar Pradesh, India) (age 86; as of 2022). His zodiac sign is Capricorn. After completing his studies, Prakash enrolled at Allahabad University where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree. Later, he pursued a master’s degree in art in history from Allahabad University.
family
Parents and siblings
Not much information is available about his parents and siblings.
wife and children
His wife’s name was Savitri. His son Pankaj Kumar Singh is an IPS officer and former director general (DG) of the Border Security Force (BSF). His son Piyush Kumar Singh is a business executive and entrepreneur living in the United States.
Pankaj Singh, son of DGP Prakash Singh
Profession
police
In 1959, Prakash Singh was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Kanpur. Later, he was promoted to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).
Prakash Singh training photos
In 1965, he was posted to the North Eastern Frontier Agency (NEFA) in Kohima (now Nagaland). There, he participated in counterinsurgency operations that defeated Naga rebels. According to Prakash, militants ordered his assassination and even put a bounty on his head. Talking about this, he said,
It was a terrible time. I remember the Naga militants awarded a farmer for my death. After receiving the order, I got a reward on my head. After that, it became a game of cat and mouse. “
Prakash served in Kohima till 1968. During the rise of insurgency in Punjab, Prakash was posted as the Inspector General (IG) of the Border Security Force (BSF) Punjab Border. Prakash is credited with formulating the strategy that led to the downfall of militancy in Punjab. Subsequently, in order to curb Pakistan’s penetration into the Indian side of Punjab, Prakash conducted research on deploying fences along the China-Pakistan international border and achieved fruitful results. Later, he was posted to Meerut as Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). In 1991, Prakash was posted to Assam as the Director General of Police (DGP), Assam. However, Prakash requested the Assam chief minister to sack him as he was unable to cope with the state government’s frequent interference in police matters. Talking about this, he said,
I requested the Chief Minister in writing to remove me from office. I am not able to perform to the best of my ability due to constant government interference. “
Prakash served twice as deputy commissioner of police in Uttar Pradesh. His first term began on July 22, 1991; however, he was removed from office on September 30, 1992, after he refused to comply with the Chief Minister’s order to reduce security around the then controversial Ram Mandir site. After the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 23, 1992, Prakash resumed his duties as the Uttar Pradesh Police Chief. On 8 June 1993, he was dismissed from his post after a number of police officers complained against him to the Ministry of Home Affairs for taking disciplinary action against police officers for corruption and malfeasance. Talking about this, he said in an interview,
Apparently, I was summoned by the Home Ministry for taking strict action against several corrupt police officers. They gathered together to complain about me to the British Prime Minister. When I got there the Royal Navy opened fire on me but I stood my ground. Later he asked me to leave because there was no point in talking, so I bowed and left. On my way back, my orderly had prepared my transfer order and asked me to hand over my charges to the new DGP in just two hours. They also tried to suspend me but found no reason against my suspension. “
Photo of Prakash Singh when he was Uttar Pradesh Police Chief
As DGP UP police, he carried out several campaigns against mafia in the state. Prakash later attended a four-month course at the Australian Executive College. On June 9, 1993, Prakash took office as the Director General (DG) of the Border Security Force (BSF). As Commander-in-Chief, he emphasized on the modernization of the troops deployed in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. He served with the BSF till January 31, 1994. Prakash retired in 1994.
after retirement
After retiring from the police service, Prakash Singh worked as an expert for selection of civil servants across India for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). In 2007, he served as the Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Political Decriminalization Committee constituted by the Allahabad High Court. He served as chairman until 2008. In 2008, he was appointed by the Planning Commission to serve on an expert panel to study the challenges faced by governments in areas affected by extremism. From 2013 to 2014, he served as a member of the National Security Advisory Board.
Supreme Court PIL
Prakash Singh said the Indian police force still operates under the colonial-era provisions of the Police Act, 1861. In a bid to modernize the functions of the police force, he filed a PIL in the Supreme Court in 1996. In the suit, Prakash asked all states to adopt the seven recommendations of the 1977 National Police Commission. The suggestion is——
- The tenure of the IGP in the state should be fixed so that retiring police officers are not appointed to the post.
- Establishes the term of office of the State Police Inspector General (IG) to minimize political interference in police operations.
- Establishing the State Police Complaints Authority (SPCA), which will take action against corrupt police officers based on public complaints.
- Establish State Security Council (SSC) which should include IAS, IPS and PCS officers.
- Establishes the National Security Council (NSC).
- Implement new investigation, law and order policies in every state to improve the functioning of police forces.
- Each state is required to have a Police Establishment Board (PEB) that governs the appointment of police officers in that state. This will minimize political interference while releasing posts to the police.
In 2006, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Prakash Singh and directed states to implement the recommendations of the National Police Commission; however, as of 2021, only 18 states have passed resolutions to implement these recommendations. Prakash Singh also claimed in the interview that he had approached Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to speed up the implementation of police reforms, but was shunned by the then National Security Agency of India.
Awards
- In 1991, the Government of India awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, in recognition of outstanding police services.
- He was awarded the Police Medal for Meritorious Service and the Police Medal for Distinguished Service by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Facts/Trivia
- Prakash Singh is the author of several books, including Irregular Warfare: The Maoist Challenge to India’s Internal Security, Northeast India: The Fermenting Frontier, A History of Nazism (in French), Science Hima to Kashmir: Traces of Terrorists’, ‘The Naxalite Movement in India’, ‘The Struggle’ Indian Police Reform: From Ruler’s Police to People’s Police and more.
Prakash Singh (left) holds his book The Struggle for Police Reform in India: From Rulers’ Police to People’s Police
- In 2003, after Naxalites attempted to assassinate Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nala Chandrababu Naidu, the Andhra Pradesh government appointed him to investigate the matter. He submitted a detailed report on February 6, 2004.
- In 2014, he appeared on the talk show called “Satyaev Jayate”.
Deputy Director General Prakash Singh talks about Satyamev Jayate
- In October 2015, Prakash Singh became the chairman of the Indian Police Foundation and Research Institute headquartered in New Delhi.
- The Haryana government in February 2016 appointed Prakash to submit a report on the role of civil officials and police in the Jat reservation agitation. He submitted his report within 71 days. According to Prakash, he was supposed to submit two reports on the incident but the government asked him to stop working as the second report contained his recommendations for improving the functioning of the state’s police force. He said in an interview,
The first report was on the riots during Jat protests in the reservation and the second report looked into police reforms. However, the Haryana government has informed me in writing that it does not want a second report. The government told me they would implement the recommendations he made in his first report and there would be no need for another report. However, my first report was not comprehensive and focused only on the omissions and actions of officials. “
- In 2018, Prakash Singh was felicitated by Maneka Gandhi at a Federation of Indian Journalists event.
DGP Prakash Singh was felicitated by Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi
- Prakash Singh becomes a Research Associate at the Joint Special Operations University (JSOU).
- Prakash Singh is also a member of Vivekananda International Foundation.
- Prakash Singh has written many articles for various newspapers.
- On December 27, 2022, Prakash Singh appeared on Sony TV show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC).
Photos taken by DGP Prakash Singh on the sets of KBC
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education