Demonstrating its commitment to institutional excellence, O.P. Jindal University (JGU) brings one of India’s most eminent personalities to its academic community.
R.K. Raghavan, former Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), former Head of the Interpol in India and Former High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Cyprus will be joining Jindal Global Law School as a Professor in Criminal Justice and Policing.
Raghavan also brings with him decades of rich academic experience. He completed Bachelors in Physics and Masters in Politics and Public Administration from the Madras University.
He went onto obtain an M.A. in criminal justice from the Temple University, Philadelphia, USA. Later he was a Visiting Library Fellow at the Rutgers University and the Harvard Law School.
He was also a member of the International Advisory Board of the Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University, UK. He has multiple publications to his credit which include Police, Personnel and Perspectives (Manohar 1989) and Policing a Democracy (Manohar 1994).
He also co-authored Indian Mujahideen Computational Analysis and Public Policy (Springer 2013). His most recent publication is his memoir ‘The Road Well Travelled’ (Westland 2020). He is also a frequent contributor to news publications on a wide range of critical public issues such as policing standards, police misconduct, violence and crime in society and the rationale of capital punishment.
Raghavan has served as the Head of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) New Delhi. His tenure at the CBI saw a large number of high profile cases including the Bofors scandal, the Priyadarshini murder case and the cricket match-fixing scam. As the Head of Interpol in India, Raghavan was closely associated with the workings of the organization, attending several proceedings and conferences globally.
Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University C. Raj Kumar, said, “We are very excited to have Dr Raghavan at JGU as his vast experience will enrich the quality and diversity of teaching and learning at the University. His diverse career as the Head of CBI, High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Cyprus and work across the private sector will enable him to make his contribution to institution building and academic excellence. This is going to be an extraordinary opportunity for JGU students to learn from his rich experience and knowledge.”
Raghavan said, “I have always felt a deep sense of commitment to empower the youth of our nation through education. With Jindal Global Law School and their commitment to public service and globalizing higher education in India, I truly believe that this will be an exciting opportunity to engage in a very meaningful dialogue with the youth of our nation. I look forward to being a part of the JGU Community.”
Dr Raghavan brings to this role years of experience that started with the Indian Police Service (IPS) after he secured the first rank at the Union Public Service Commission examination and was allotted to the Tamil Nadu cadre. He also held several assignments in the State, including Superintendent of Police in the Ramnad District and DIG Intelligence as well as Crime Branch CID. He was also drafted to the Intelligence Bureau(IB), Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi. He served in the IB units in the Northeast and in Tamil Nadu. He spent two spells at IB headquarters. He attributes his analytical and writing skills to his career in the IB. The last assignment he held in the Tamil Nadu Police was as the head of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Directorate. In this post, he served for six years, a record that is yet to be surpassed by any officer.
Dr Raghavan was also handpicked by the Supreme Court of India in 2006 to study the problem of ragging in Indian Universities. The Committee, named after him, came out with many strong recommendations which were accepted by almost all Universities. Later, he served as a member of the Reserve Bank of India’s Advisory Committee on Bank Frauds.
Dr Raghavan’s last assignment was as High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Cyprus. Dr Raghavan spent 15 years in the private sector after his retirement from the government. This includes a stint with one of India’s leading IT companies, Tata Consultancy Services, as a Consulting Advisor for computer security and cybercrime.