S Jayaraman, a 1977 IPS officer, has become arguably the second most powerful officer in India’s security and intelligence circles with his appointment as the “special secretary” in charge of internal security in the ministry of home affairs.
He succeeds Ajay Chadha, who recently moved to head the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Chadha was also a 1977 batch IPS officer, and had a tenure of until August this year as special secretary.
Jayaraman, who is from the West Bengal cadre of the IPS, is currently serving as a special director in the Intelligence Bureau.
The post of Special Secretary (Internal Security) is considered the second most important officer post in the country’s intelligence and security apparatus, after that of the Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Special Secretary deals with all terror and internal security related matters and is also key to crucial projects the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), the National Intelligence Grid (Natgrid), and the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network System (CCTNS).
Jayaraman was recently considered to be one of the possibilities for becoming the chief of the Intelligence Bureau, a post that was ultimately filled by another 1977 batch officer, this time from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, Syed Asif Ibrahim.