HYDERABAD: Among the longest-serving police commissioners in present-day Telangana and erstwhile Andhra Pradesh, DGP-rank IPS officer Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat is known for his warm smile, approachable demeanour and personal touch. He remembers names, recalls case details and makes time for everyone, from constables to senior officers. His two-decade-long fight against human trafficking and free mentorship of civil services aspirants have become defining features of his career.
A 1995-batch IPS officer of the Telangana cadre, Bhagwat hails from Ahmednagar in Maharashtra. His career spans policing reforms, anti-trafficking operations and social welfare. Bhagwat attributes his standing in the department to his exceptional memory, rapport with personnel across ranks and commitment to policing. Bhagwat’s campaign against human trafficking earned him the US department of state’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Hero Award in 2017.
During his tenure, Rachakonda police shut down 25 premises, including five hotels and 20 residential apartments, linked to trafficking within less than a year. He also played a key role in operations that rescued more than 350 children forced to work in brick kilns. His efforts extended to coordinating with government departments and civil society organisations to rehabilitate survivors.
In 2018, Bhagwat received the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Leadership Award for his work in protecting human and civil rights. His other honours include the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2022, the Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2011 and the President’s Police Medal for Gallantry in 2004.
Bhagwat’s concern for vulnerable communities also led him to facilitate education for children of migrant workers at brick kilns. He was involved in efforts to rehabilitate surrendered Maoists, emphasising reform and reintegration.
Since 2015-16, Bhagwat has been providing free guidance to UPSC aspirants preparing for personality tests through WhatsApp and telephone. His mentorship has contributed to more than 1,250 All India Service selections. In the 2025 examinations, he guided 331 of the 958 successful Civil Services candidates and 84 of the 148 candidates recommended for the Indian Forest Service. His mentees secured IFS All India Rank 1 for three consecutive years, from 2023 to 2025. In 2024, he also guided 66 successful candidates in the CAPF Assistant Commandant examination.
An interesting chapter in his life connects him to industrialist Ratan Tata. Before joining the IPS, Bhagwat worked as a community development engineer at Tata Motors’ Telco facility in Pimpri, Pune. When he met Ratan Tata at the inauguration of the Tata Aerospace facility at Adibatla in 2018, he introduced himself saying, “Humne bhi Tata ka namak khaya hai (I too have eaten Tata’s salt),” recalling his days as a Tata employee. Ratan Tata smiled, patted his shoulder and remarked that Bhagwat was now providing security to the area where his former employer operated.
Bhagwat has served as commissioner of Rachakonda, additional DGP (CID), DGP (law and order) and additional DGP (railways and road safety). His career combines law enforcement with humanitarian work and a commitment to nurturing the next generation of civil servants.
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