Mahesh Dixit new IB chief (Img-Internet)
New Delhi: After a gap of Four years, the high profile Intelligence Bureau will have a new chief. The union government has decided to appoint Mahesh Dixit, Andhra Pradesh cadre 1993 batch IPS officer. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet cleared it.
Dixit will succeed Tapan Deka, who has been on a second extension after his retirement. Deka would retire on June 30.
Mahesh Dixit said to be a specialist on J&K affairs expected to take charge on July 1. Dixit has spent more than 25 years in the Intelligence Bureau and most of the time in J&K only.
Dixit began his career as the SP of Vizag District in Andhra Pradesh but soon joined the IB. As an IB officer. he worked in Patna, Hyderabad and Kohima.
Mahesh Dixit, a 1993-batch IPS officer of the Andhra Pradesh cadre, has been elevated after serving as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau. A qualified medical doctor who later entered law enforcement, Dixit brings with him nearly three decades of experience in India’s premier internal intelligence agency.
Over the years, he has handled several sensitive assignments, including intelligence operations in the Northeast, Ladakh and anti-Naxal regions. Within the security establishment, Dixit is known for his strong ground-level intelligence network and deep expertise in counter-terrorism operations.
One of his most significant postings was in Srinagar, where he headed the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau. During that tenure, he is credited with playing a key role in helping maintain internal stability in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Article 370.
His appointment comes at a crucial time, with the Centre continuing to focus on counter-infiltration, border-area security and internal stability across sensitive regions.
Dixit succeeds outgoing Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Deka, who is widely regarded as an expert in counter-terror operations and Islamic radicalisation cases. During his long career, Deka played a key role in operations against the Indian Mujahideen and was closely involved in counter-assault coordination during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.
Known in intelligence circles as a crisis manager, Deka also built a strong reputation for handling complex security challenges in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. Dixit’s elevation is being seen as a continuation of the Centre’s focus on operational experience, field intelligence and counter-terror preparedness.
