Annamalai Kuppusamy, popularly known as Annamalai IPS, is a former Indian Police Service officer who is now the president of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Tamil Nadu. He is widely admired for his courage, integrity, and leadership skills. He has earned the nickname of Singham, after the Bollywood movie character, for his fearless actions against crime and corruption.
Annamalai IPS Wiki/Bio, Caste, Religion
| Name | Annamalai Kuppusamy |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 June 1984 (age 39 years) in Karur, Tamil Nadu, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Caste | Velalla Gounder |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Education | B.E. from PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore; PGDM from Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow |
| Occupation | Politician, former IPS officer, entrepreneur, author |
| Political party | Bharatiya Janata Party |
| Current position | State president of BJP Tamil Nadu |
| Previous positions | Deputy Commissioner of Police, South Bengaluru; Superintendent of Police, Chikmagalur; Superintendent of Police, Udupi; Assistant Superintendent of Police, Karkala |
| Awards | Prime Minister’s Baton and Revolver; President’s Police Medal for Gallantry; Chief Minister’s Gold Medal for Excellence in Public Service; Karnataka State Rajyotsava Award; Rotary Vocational Excellence Award; Indian Express Excellence in Governance Award |
| Family | Father: Kuppusamy (farmer); Mother: Parameshwari (homemaker); Wife: Akila Swaminathan (manager); Son: Aarav |
| Nickname | Singham of Karnataka |
| Book | I, The Leader |
| Links | Instagram- @annamalai_kuppusamy Wikipedia- @AnnamalaiKuppusamy Homepage- WikiBioStar |
Biography
Annamalai IPS was born on 4 June 1984 (age: 39 years, as of 2023) in Karur, a small town in Tamil Nadu. His father, Kuppusamy, is a farmer and his mother, Parameshwari, is a homemaker. He has two sisters and a brother. He belongs to the Velalla Gounder community, which is classified as a backward caste in Tamil Nadu.
Annamalai was a bright student who excelled in academics and extracurricular activities. He studied at Jesus Anglo-Indian School in Kollam, Kerala, where he was the school captain and a state-level basketball player. He then pursued his Bachelor of Engineering degree at PSG College of Technology in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, where he was the secretary of the Samvedi Society and the management circle. He also participated in various cultural and social events.
After completing his engineering degree in 2007, he worked as a software engineer at Cognizant Technology Solutions for a year. However, he was not satisfied with his corporate job and decided to pursue his dream of becoming a civil servant. He quit his job and prepared for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam, which is one of the most competitive and prestigious exams in India.
He cracked the UPSC exam in his first attempt in 2010 and secured the 28th rank in the country. He opted for the Indian Police Service (IPS) as his first choice of service. He then joined the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Lucknow for his postgraduate diploma in management (PGDM) as part of his training. He was the student coordinator of the Abhiyan (Entrepreneurship Cell of IIM Lucknow) and the Character and Personality Club of his college.
IPS Career
Annamalai IPS was allotted the Karnataka cadre of the IPS and underwent his training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in Mussoorie and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad. He was awarded the Prime Minister’s Baton and Revolver for being the best all-round IPS officer of his batch.
He began his IPS career as the assistant superintendent of police (ASP) of Karkala sub-division in Udupi district of Karnataka in 2013. He soon gained popularity among the locals for his proactive and people-friendly approach. He launched several initiatives to improve the law and order situation, such as the ‘Karkala Model’ of community policing, the ‘Namma Karkala’ app for citizen grievances, and the ‘Karkala Vision 2025’ for urban development.
He was promoted to the rank of superintendent of police (SP) and transferred to Udupi district in 2015. He continued his good work and earned the respect and admiration of the people. He cracked down on illegal sand mining, cattle trafficking, drug peddling, and other crimes. He also introduced various welfare schemes for the police personnel, such as the ‘Udupi Police Care’ for health and insurance, the ‘Udupi Police Family’ for social and emotional support, and the ‘Udupi Police Education’ for skill development and career guidance.
Annamalai IPS was then posted as the SP of Chikmagalur district in 2016, where he faced a tough challenge of dealing with the Maoist insurgency. He adopted a two-pronged strategy of combing operations and developmental activities to counter the Maoist menace. He also launched a massive drive against illegal encroachment of forest land, which led to the recovery of more than 10,000 acres of land worth over Rs 500 crore. He also implemented several innovative programs, such as the ‘Chikmagalur Police Radio’ for public awareness, the ‘Chikmagalur Police Mitra’ for community participation, and the ‘Chikmagalur Police Green’ for environmental conservation.
He was transferred to Bengaluru in 2018 as the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) of the south division. He was responsible for maintaining law and order in one of the most populous and diverse areas of the city. He handled several sensitive and high-profile cases, such as the murder of journalist Gauri Lankesh, the violence during the Tipu Sultan Jayanti celebrations, and the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. He also initiated several reforms, such as the ‘Bengaluru Police Connect’ for digital policing, the ‘Bengaluru Police Beat’ for beat policing, and the ‘Bengaluru Police Samvada’ for public outreach.
Resignation and Politics
Annamalai IPS surprised everyone when he announced his resignation from the IPS in 2019, after serving for nine years. He cited personal reasons for his decision and said that he wanted to pursue his passion for public service in a different way. He also expressed his gratitude to the people of Karnataka for their love and support.
He moved back to his hometown of Karur and started two ventures: Core Talent and Leadership Pvt. Ltd., a leadership development company, and We The Leaders Foundation, a social service organisation. He also wrote a book titled ‘I, The Leader’, which is a collection of his experiences and insights on leadership.
He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2020 and was appointed as the vice-president of the Tamil Nadu state unit. He said that he was inspired by the vision and leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He also said that he wanted to work for the development and welfare of Tamil Nadu, which he felt was neglected by the Dravidian parties.
He contested the 2021 Tamil Nadu assembly elections from the Aravakurichi constituency of Karur district on a BJP ticket. He faced a tough fight from NR Elango of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), who was the sitting MLA and a senior advocate. He lost the election by a margin of 17,974 votes.
Net Worth
| Year | Net Worth (in INR) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2.66 crore |
| 2020 | 2.50 crore |
| 2019 | 2.35 crore |
Height, Weight
- Height: around 5’ 10″ (178 cm)
- Weight: around 75 kg (165 lbs)
- Eye color: dark brown
- Body measurements: unknown
- Skin color: tan
Achievements and Awards
Annamalai has received several awards and accolades for his exemplary service and performance as an IPS officer. Some of them are:
- Prime Minister’s Baton and Revolver for being the best all-round IPS officer of the 2011 batch
- President’s Police Medal for Gallantry for his role in the encounter of a Maoist leader in 2018
- Chief Minister’s Gold Medal for Excellence in Public Service for his work in Udupi district in 2016
- Karnataka State Rajyotsava Award for his contribution to the state in 2017
- Rotary Vocational Excellence Award for his service to the society in 2018
- Indian Express Excellence in Governance Award for his innovation and leadership in 2019
Annamalai IPS is a remarkable person who has achieved a lot in his life. He is an inspiration for many young people who aspire to join the civil services or the politics. He is a leader who has a vision, a mission, and a passion for serving the nation. He is a Singham who has a roar, a heart, and a soul. He is a true son of Tamil Nadu who has made his state and his country proud.
