RK Pachnanda took over as Director-General of Indo-Tibetan Border Police

Former Calcutta Police Commissioner RK Pachnanda on 30 June 2017 took over as the Director-General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). He was handed over the baton of the about 90000 mountain warfare-trained force by outgoing Director General Krishna Chaudhary.

He is a 1983 batch IPS officer of Bengal cadre. Presently, he is also serving as the Director General of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). He will continue to hold this position until his successor is appointed.

Pachnanda owns the rare distinction of serving in all the major central paramilitary forces and organisations including the CRPF, the CISF, the BSF, the Special Protection Group (SPG), the CBI and the NDRF.

He also took charge of the paramilitary force in the backdrop of a face-off between Indian and Chinese troops on the border in Sikkim.

The ITBP guards the 3488km border with China that passes through five states - Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir. On the Chinese side, the People's Armed Police, also a paramilitary force, stands as the guards. The People's Liberation Army remains behind this first line of defence.