Mahesh Bhagwat

Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat is an Indian Police Service officer who received the U.S. Department of State's Trafficking in Persons Report Heroes Award in 2017. He served as 1st and longest commissioner of Police Rachakonda in Hyderabad east side for 6.5 years. He was recently transferred from the post of ADGP Railways, Road Safety and Legal Telangana to ADG Law and order..
He has also acted as a resource person at the National Police Training Academy in Hyderabad and other states, providing training programs on community policing and anti-trafficking efforts.

Education

Bhagwat holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Civil Engineering from the College of Engineering Pune and a Bachelor of Laws degree from Osmania University, Hyderabad. Bhagwat has done his schooling from ZP school till 4th standard and Sri Tilok Jain Vidyalaya till 10th standard at Pathardi, District Ahmednagar, Maharashtra from 1974 to 1984. Done his intermediate studies from SP College Pune in 1984 to 1986.

Bhagwat joined the Indian Police Service in 1995. Throughout his career, he has held various positions:

1997-1999: Served in Manipur for two years after completing foundation course in LBSNAA Mussoorie and IPS training at SVPNPA Hyderabad
1999-2014: Transferred to Andhra Pradesh, served in various roles in the unified state as SP Adilabad, Nalgonda, Kadapa and Khammam Districts, DCPs and joint CPs postings in Hyderabad & Cyberabad Police commissionerates; SP & DIG in CID; DIG Eluru Range & DIG ISW.

2014-2016: Allotted to Telangana state after formation of new state & continue in ISW as IG.
July 2016 – 2022: Appointed as the first Commissioner of Police of Rachakonda, a newly formed police commissionerate in Telangana
2023-ADG CID then ADG Railway & Road safety
2024 Present: Serving as Additional Director General of Police for Law and order holding additional charge of Legal

Mahesh has contributed to eight books on trafficking published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Ministry of Home Affairs, India. One of his notable works, Synergy Between Stakeholders, is used as resource material for the anti-trafficking certificate diploma course at Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Delhi.

Year	Award	Organization	Description	Reference
2004	Community Policing Award and Homeland Security Special Honour	International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), USA	For the community policing project "Police Mekosam" in Naxalite-affected Adilabad district
2006	Weber Savvy Law Enforcement Award and Civil Rights Award	International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), USA	For the anti-trafficking project "Aasara" in Nalgonda District, focused on rescuing and rehabilitating victims of traditional caste-based prostitution
2017	Trafficking in Persons Report Hero Award	U.S. Department of State	Recognized for significant contributions to combating human trafficking
2017	Recognition as Most Influential Leader in Top 100 Working for Anti-Trafficking	Assent Compliance, Canada	Recognized for leadership in anti-trafficking efforts
2018	Civil and Human Rights Award	International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), USA	For the worksite school project for child laborers rescued from brick kilns in Odisha
2022	Smart Policing Award	Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)	For the worksite school project