Service: Indian Police Service (IPS), 1990 batch, Kerala cadre
Current Position: Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat (since 1 December 2024)
🎓 Education & Background
Shri Harinath Mishra hails from Bihar and joined the Indian Police Service in 1990, allotted to the Kerala cadre. He holds a postgraduate degree and has undergone professional training in intelligence and national security management.
🛡️ Professional Career
State Assignments:
Shri Mishra has served in various capacities in the Kerala Police and also in central investigative agencies. He held the post of Inspector General (Crime Branch) and served in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), particularly in its Patna unit. He also worked with the Bihar State Intelligence Bureau for over two years, contributing significantly to internal security operations.
Intelligence Bureau:
Before becoming Secretary (Security), he was serving as Special Director General in the Intelligence Bureau. His tenure there involved overseeing sensitive national security issues and inter-agency coordination on internal and external threats.
Awards & Recognition:
He is the recipient of two President’s Police Medals for Meritorious and Distinguished Service. In 2024, he was also awarded the Home Minister’s Efficiency Award for his outstanding contributions to the intelligence domain.
đź“Ś Role as Secretary (Security)
Shri Harinath Mishra was appointed Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat with effect from 1 December 2024. He succeeded Shri Swagat Das upon the latter’s retirement.
As Secretary (Security), he is responsible for overseeing the Special Protection Group (SPG), which provides proximate security to:
- The Prime Minister of India
- Immediate family members of the Prime Minister residing with him
- Former Prime Ministers and their immediate families (for a limited duration and under specific conditions)
He supervises strategic security planning, threat assessment, and coordination among various central and state agencies to ensure VVIP protection.
đź“ť Summary
Shri Harinath Mishra is a highly experienced IPS officer with a distinguished career in intelligence and policing. His leadership as Secretary (Security) reflects the government’s trust in his capabilities to manage high-level security responsibilities and safeguard national leaders through expert oversight and strategic coordination.