VINOD BHAT
NEW DELHI, Mar 13: Former Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir, Rashmi Ranjan Swain, has been appointed as the Chairman of the Odisha Uniformed Services Staff Selection Commission (OUSSSC), marking a new chapter in the veteran police officer’s long and distinguished career in public service.
A 1991-batch officer of the Indian Police Service from the Odisha cadre, Swain retired as the police chief of Jammu and Kashmir in 2024 after decades of service in some of the most challenging policing environments in the country. With his appointment, he will become the first Chairman of the newly constituted commission tasked with overseeing recruitment and selection processes for various uniformed services in the state.
The Odisha Uniformed Services Staff Selection Commission has been established to streamline and strengthen recruitment procedures for police and other uniformed services in the state. As Chairman, Swain will be responsible for guiding the commission’s functioning, ensuring transparency in recruitment, and implementing robust selection mechanisms to enhance the efficiency and professionalism of the state’s uniformed forces.
Born in Rourkela in Odisha, Swain has had an illustrious career spanning over three decades in policing and security administration. During his tenure in Jammu and Kashmir, he held several crucial field and administrative assignments, gaining extensive experience in law enforcement, counter-insurgency operations, and intelligence coordination.
Over the years, Swain served as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in several key districts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Poonch, and Ramban. His field postings in these strategically important regions exposed him to diverse law-and-order challenges ranging from urban policing to border security and counter-insurgency management.
Apart from field assignments, Swain also played an important role in strengthening institutional mechanisms within the police system. He served in the Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (formerly Vigilance Organisation), where he was involved in investigating corruption-related cases and promoting accountability within public institutions.
Later in his career, Swain held the post of Special Director General in the Criminal Investigation Department, where he supervised critical intelligence operations and investigations related to security threats and organized crime.
Widely regarded as a firm and professional officer, Swain was known for his strong stance against militancy and his emphasis on dismantling terror networks operating in the region. During his service in Jammu and Kashmir, he played a key role in counter-terror operations and efforts aimed at identifying and disrupting terror-financing channels that sustained
militant activities in the region.
His leadership and experience in intelligence-led policing and counter-terror strategy earned him recognition within security circles, particularly during the challenging security environment in Jammu and Kashmir.
With his appointment as Chairman of the Odisha Uniformed Services Staff Selection Commission, Swain is expected to bring his vast administrative and policing experience to the institution, contributing to the creation of a transparent, efficient, and merit-based recruitment system for uniformed services in Odisha.
