Shankar Jiwal likely to be named chief of newly proposed Fire Services Commission, race begins for new TN DGP

CHENNAI:  With the tenure of Tamil Nadu’s Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal set to end on August 31, the state government is preparing to assign him a new role after his retirement.

According to official sources, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has approved a proposal to appoint Jiwal as the Chairman of a newly-created Fire Services Commission.

Jiwal, a 1990-batch IPS officer hailing from Uttarakhand, has had a distinguished career spanning over three decades.

He began his service in Tamil Nadu in 1993 as Assistant Superintendent of Police in Mannargudi and later became Superintendent of Police in Salem in 1995. Over the years, he rose through the ranks, serving in key leadership positions, including the Chennai Police Commissioner, before taking charge as the DGP on June 30, 2023. His tenure in the top post will officially conclude on August 31, 2025.

The government’s move to create a Fire Services Commission marks a new initiative aimed at strengthening emergency response systems in the state. The commission, once formally constituted, will oversee policy formulation and modernisation of the fire and rescue services, and Jiwal, with his extensive administrative experience, is expected to play a crucial role in steering the new institution.

Meanwhile, anticipation is high in police circles over who will succeed Jiwal as Tamil Nadu’s new DGP.

Senior IPS officers under consideration include Sandeep Rai Rathore, Seema Agarwal, and G. Venkitaraman.

Sources say a recommendation panel has already short-listed these names, and one among them will be chosen for the coveted post.

Currently, Rathore heads the Tamil Nadu Police Training College, Agarwal serves as Director of the Fire and Rescue Services Department, and Venkitaraman is DGP of the Administrative Division.

The final decision on the new appointee is expected shortly, with the government weighing factors such as seniority, service record, and suitability for the demanding law-and-order portfolio.

As Jiwal prepares to step down, the twin developments—the launch of a new Fire Services Commission and the appointment of a new DGP—are expected to reshape the state’s policing and emergency response framework in the months ahead.