Former Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar awarded President’s medal for distinguished service

Former Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar awarded President’s medal for distinguished service

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, August 15, 2024: Former Mangalore City Police Commissioner M. Chandra Sekhar has been awarded the prestigious President’s Medal for Distinguished Service (PSM), as announced yesterday by the Union Government for the 78th Independence Day. He is the only police officer from Karnataka to be recognized in this top category. Additionally, 18 other police officers from the state, including two officers from the coastal region, have been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM). In total, 1,037 police personnel from across the country will be honored with police medals on this occasion.

M. Chandra Sekhar, a 1998 batch IPS officer, served as the Commissioner of Mangaluru City Police from January 2016 to June 2017. Known for being an upright officer, he earned widespread popularity through his community-friendly initiatives. His tenure is particularly remembered for solving high-profile cases such as the Vinayak Baliga murder and the Karthik Raj murder, as well as for effectively curbing right-wing vigilantism. He established a strong command over law enforcement and relentlessly combated criminal elements and the underworld. His innovative approaches, such as regular phone-in programs, fostered improved police-public interaction. Citizens continue to regard him as one of the finest police chiefs the city has ever had.

M. Chandra Sekhar, who hails from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, currently serves as the Additional Director General of the Internal Security Division, based in Bangalore. Before joining the IPS, he studied aerospace engineering at IIT Kharagpur and had a brief stint of working as a software developer at Infosys. Originally allotted the Himachal Pradesh cadre, he was absorbed into Karnataka cadre in 2013.

ACP Ravish S. Nayak and Head Constable B. Vijay Kumar are the two other dedicated officers from the coastal region have been selected for the President’s Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM). Ravish S. Nayak serves as Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in the CCRB unit of the Mangaluru City Police Commissionerate. B. Vijay Kumar is a civil head constable in the DCRB (District Crime Records Bureau) division of the Udupi district police.