Senior IPS officer Sadanand Vasant Date, who played a pivotal role during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, assumed the leadership of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday.
Before joining the NIA, Date served as the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief in Maharashtra. His career includes pivotal roles such as Police Commissioner of Mira-Bhayandar Vasai-Virar, Joint Commissioner Law and Order, and Joint Commissioner Crime Branch Mumbai. Additionally, the 5-year-old has served two tenures at the Centre — as Deputy Inspector General in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and as Inspector General in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
Born and raised in Pune, Date hails from the city's peth areas. Having lost his father at a young age, his mother worked as a cook in other households to ensure her children received a good education. To make ends meet, Date and his brothers took on odd jobs while pursuing their studies. Date began delivering newspapers to police officers in the Swargate and Shivajinagar police lines in 1977, and later worked as a peon. Later, he excelled in the Institute of Cost and Works Accountants of India (ICWAI) examination, becoming a certified cost accountant in 1988.
Date, who holds a postgraduate degree in commerce and a doctorate, attended Modern College in Shivajinagar. While preparing for his Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) examination, he read newspapers early in the morning. His dedication led to his appointment as an IPS officer in 1990.
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