Veteran IPS Officer K Vijay Kumar Conferred Padma Shri
Veteran Indian Police Service officer K Vijay Kumar , best known for leading the decisive operation against forest brigand Veerappan, has been awarded the Padma Shri for distinguished service. The honour recognises his long and impactful career in strategic policing, counter-insurgency operations, and institutional leadership across some of India’s most complex internal security challenges. Aged 74, Kumar is among the 113 Padma Shri awardees announced this year.
Career and Policing Legacy
A 1975-batch IPS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre , K Vijay Kumar retired from active service in 2012 after nearly four decades in uniform. During his career, he held several high-responsibility positions, including Commissioner of Police, Chennai , Inspector General of the Border Security Force in Kashmir , and Director of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), Hyderabad . His tenure in these roles contributed significantly to professional policing standards and leadership training in India.
Operation Against Veerappan
Kumar is most widely remembered for heading the Tamil Nadu Police Special Task Force that eliminated the notorious forest brigand Veerappan in 2004. The intelligence-driven operation, code-named “Operation Cocoon” , brought an end to Veerappan’s decades-long reign of violence across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala. The operation is often cited as a textbook example of patience, coordination, and jungle warfare tactics. Kumar later chronicled the mission in his book “Veerappan: Chasing the Brigand” , offering rare insights into counter-insurgency strategy.
Leadership in Central Armed Forces
In 2010, following a devastating Maoist ambush in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh , Kumar was appointed Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) . Under his leadership, the CRPF strengthened its counter-Naxal operations and operational preparedness. During this period, security forces neutralised senior Maoist leader Kishenji in 2011. After retirement, Kumar continued contributing to national security as a security adviser in the Ministry of Home Affairs and as an adviser to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor .
Imporatnt Facts for Exams
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Padma Shri is India’s fourth-highest civilian award
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Operation Cocoon (2004) led to the killing of Veerappan
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CRPF CoBRA units specialise in jungle warfare and anti-Naxal operations
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The 2010 Dantewada ambush was one of the deadliest attacks on Indian security forces
Recognition of Strategic Leadership
The official citation describes K Vijay Kumar as a key figure in shaping India’s response to organised crime and left-wing extremism through strategic policing and leadership. Responding to the honour, Kumar emphasised the collective effort of his teams, noting that such successes are built on institutional strength rather than individual action. The Padma Shri thus acknowledges not only his personal contribution but also the evolution of modern internal security practices in India.
Month: Current Affairs - January 27, 2026
Category: Padma Awards | Internal Security