Tapan Deka
Tapan Deka | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 28th Director of the Intelligence Bureau | |
| In office 1 July 2022 – 30 June 2026 | |
| Prime Minister | Narendra Modi |
| Preceded by | Arvind Kumar |
| Succeeded by | Mahesh Dixit |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 February 1963 |
| Military service | |
Years of service | 1988 – 2026 |
| Rank |  Director of the Intelligence Bureau |
Tapan Kumar Deka (born 25 February 1963) is an Indian bureaucrat and Indian Police Service (IPS) officer who served as the 28th Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB). A 1988-batch IPS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, he was empanelled to the rank of Director General of Police in 2021. He assumed office as Director of the Intelligence Bureau on 1 July 2022, succeeding Arvind Kumar, whose tenure ended on 30 June 2022.[1][2]
During his police career, Tapan Deka spent most of his service with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), which he joined in 1988. He has worked closely with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on several counterterrorism and national security assignments. As Director of the Intelligence Bureau, his tenure was extended by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet until June 2025. In May 2025, the committee approved a further one-year extension, allowing him to continue in office until June 2026. With this extension, Deka became the longest-serving Director of the Intelligence Bureau.[3][4]
Early life and education
[edit]Deka was born on 25 February 1963 in Sarthebari, Assam, into an Assamese people family. He earned a master's degree in physics from the University of Delhi. During his student years, he was associated with the All Assam Students' Union (AASU). He joined the Indian Police Service (IPS) after clearing the Civil Services Examination on his first attempt.[5]
Career
[edit]Tapan Deka was appointed as the counter-terrorism operations chief in Kashmir.[6][7] Tapan Deka has formally served as Deputy Director, Joint Director, and Additional Director, Special Director at Intelligence Bureau. He served as the head of the operations wing of the IB for over two decades.[8]
Deka is widely known as Crisis man.[9][10]
Deka was also in charge of the counter-assaults during 2008 Mumbai attacks.[11][12]
During Citizenship Amendment Act protests in Assam, Tapan Deka was deputed as per the advice of Home Minister of India Amit Shah.[13][14]
He was also the head of investigation of the 2008 Assam bombings case.[15] He also handled the investigation of Pathankot air base attack and Pulwama attack, and was the brain behind the arrest of Yasin Bhatkal, founder of Indian Mujahideen, from Nepal.[16] Deka is believed to be the key official of the surgical strike in Balakot, Pakistan.[17] Hindustan Times reported that "Deka is an Afghanistan-Pakistan expert, who has over two decades of experience in tracking Jehadi and Islamic extremism while working in the premier intelligence agency."[18]
Awards
[edit]- President's Police Medal for distinguished service in 2012.[19]
References
[edit]- ↑ Singh, Jitendra Bahadur (24 June 2022). "Tapan Kumar Deka appointed as Director of Intelligence Bureau". India Today. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ↑ "Assam's Tapan Kumar Deka to assume office as IB director". 26 June 2022. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- ↑ "Who is Tapan Kumar Deka? 'Superspy' gets one year extension as Intelligence Bureau chief". 20 May 2025. Archived from the original on 21 May 2025. Retrieved 21 May 2025.
- ↑ "Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Kumar Deka gets one year extension". The Hindu. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
- ↑ "Ex-AASU leader & top 'spy' Tapan Deka to be next Assam DGP?". EastMojo News Bureau. 26 August 2019. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
- ↑ "At least 500 detained and questioned in J&K over killing of civilians". Hindustan Times. 11 October 2021. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
- ↑ "IB counter-terror chief on ground, security grid holds high-level meeting ahead of PM Narendra Modi's April 24 visit to J&K". Times Now. 12 April 2022. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ↑ "Who is Tapan Kumar Deka? 'Superspy' gets one year extension as Intelligence Bureau chief | Today News". Mint. 20 May 2025. Archived from the original on 21 May 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ "Tapan Kumar Deka appointed IB chief; Samant Kumar Goel gets one year extension as RAW chief". The Free Press Journal. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- ↑ Jaiswal, Arushi (24 June 2024). "Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Kumar Deka gets one-year extension". India TV. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- ↑ "Tapan Deka gets second extension as IB chief amid post-strike security concerns". ThePrint. 20 May 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ Jain, Bharti (20 May 2025). "Government extends tenure of Intelligence Bureau director Tapan Kumar Deka". The Times of India. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
- ↑ Gupta, Shishir (16 December 2019). "J&K to Assam, government moves swiftly for national security". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ↑ Nanjappa, Vicky (16 December 2019). "Quick thinking: How Amit Shah's top men handled Assam during CAA protests". Oneindia. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ↑ "Ex-AASU Member, IPS Tapan Deka to be Appointed as the Next DGP of Assam". Inside NE. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
- ↑ Tiwary, Deeptiman (24 June 2022). "Tapan Deka is new IB chief, R&AW head Samant Goel gets another extension". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
- ↑ "Tapan Kumar Deka to be new chief of Intelligence Bureau, R&AW director Samant Goel gets extension". The New Indian Express. Indo-Asian News Service. 24 June 2022. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
- ↑ Chauhan, Neeraj (20 May 2025). "Intelligence Bureau director and counterterror expert Tapan Deka gets second extension amid tension with Pakistan". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 26 February 2026.
- ↑ "PRESIDENT'S POLICE MEDAL FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE : INDEPENDENCE DAY-2012" (PDF). Ministry of Home Affairs, India. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.