Hyderabad: In a landmark moment for both Kerala and Telangana, Rema Rajeshwari, a 2009-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Telangana cadre, has been appointed as the Deputy Inspector General (Deputy Director) at the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in New Delhi.
The order for her central deputation was issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, and she was relieved immediately from her duties in Telangana to assume her new role at the Centre.
A First for Munnar
Rema Rajeshwari, who hails from Munnar in Kerala’s Idukki district, is the first IPS officer from her hometown, breaking socio-cultural barriers in one of Kerala’s remotest regions. Her journey from the misty hills of Munnar to the power corridors of national law enforcement is an inspiring tale of perseverance and purpose.
Career Shift: From Software Engineering to the IPS
Originally a software engineer, Rajeshwari left behind a promising corporate career to join the Indian Police Service after cracking the civil services exam in 2009. She topped her IPS batch and went on to serve in several high-stakes law enforcement roles in Telangana, including as SP, Mahabubnagar, and other key postings.
Community Policing Pioneer and Child Safety Crusader
Rajeshwari is widely respected for her community policing innovations, especially in rural and tribal belts of Telangana. She spearheaded campaigns against misinformation, child trafficking, and child sexual abuse (CSA), focusing on educating school children and mobilizing community vigilance.
She is known for combining tech-driven approaches with human-centered policing, and has received national and international recognition for campaigns like:
- Digital Literacy & Misinformation Awareness
- Safe Villages Campaign
- Empowering Women in Policing
- Fighting Crime on the Frontlines
In her early IPS years, she served as an Assault Commander with the ‘Greyhounds’, Telangana’s elite anti-Naxal commando unit. She led several high-risk operations in remote forested terrains, targeting left-wing extremism and organized criminal syndicates.
Her work includes dismantling trafficking networks, conducting rescue operations, and implementing rehabilitation frameworks for vulnerable women and children.
Advocate for Women in Uniform
Rajeswari has consistently used her voice to challenge gender stereotypes in policing. In public forums and interviews, she has criticized the media’s over-simplified portrayal of women officers as either hyper-aggressive or tokenistic.
She believes that such narratives discourage young women from seeing the police service as a viable and empowering career path.
A Scholar and Writer
Outside her policing duties, Rema Rajeshwari is also a prolific writer, focusing on law enforcement, child rights, gender issues, and history. Her articles reflect deep scholarly insight and are often used as reference material in academic discussions on police reform and public safety.
Stepping into a National Role
As Deputy Director of NCRB, she will play a critical role in overseeing data-driven policing strategies, improving crime records management, and contributing to national crime prevention policies. Her tenure comes at a time when data analytics, predictive policing, and AI integration are becoming central to India’s law enforcement modernization.
Official Notification Confirms Move
A letter from the Under Secretary to the Government of India, addressed to the Chief Secretary of Telangana, confirmed her appointment:
“Approval of the competent authority is conveyed for the appointment of Rema Rajeswari, IPS (TG:2009) as Deputy Inspector General (Deputy Director) in the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) against existing vacancy as per usual terms and conditions of central deputation.”
