Odisha-cadre IPS officers take charge as IG and DIG in BSF

Bhubaneswar, April 26: In a major development, two senior IPS officers from Odisha cadre — Ravi Kant and Mitrabhanu Mohapatra — have been appointed to top positions in the Border Security Force (BSF).

While Ravi Kant, a 1998-batch IPS officer, has been appointed as Inspector General (IG), Mitrabhanu Mohapatra, a 2010-batch officer, has been named Deputy Inspector General (DIG).

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued formal notifications approving their appointments on deputation for a period of five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier. In an official communication to the Odisha Chief Secretary dated April 24, the Centre directed the immediate relieving of the officers to enable them to assume their new responsibilities at the Centre.

Ravi Kant had earlier served as Officer on Special Duty in the Home Department and was considered an influential figure during the final years of Naveen Patnaik’s 24-year rule, which ended in June 2024. Notably, he was the first officer to be appointed as the Resident Commissioner at Odisha Bhawan in New Delhi.