NEW DELHI: The

Narendra Modi

government on Saturday named

Rajinder Khanna

, a 1978 batch RAS officer, as the new chief of Research & Analysis Wing (

RAW

). He will take over from incumbent Alok Joshi, who retires at the end of this month.

Another key appointment on Saturday was that of Prakash Mishra, a 1978 IPS officer of Odisha cadre and presently special secretary (internal security) in the

Union home ministry

, as the chief of Central Reserve Police Force (

CRPF

).

"ACC has approved appointment of Rajinder Khanna, (RAS:78) as secretary, Research & Analysis Wing, Cabinet Secretariat vice Shri Alok Joshi, IPS (HY.76), on completion of his tenure on 30.12.2014, for a period of two years from the date of assumption of charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier, by granting extension in service under provisions of FR 56," said a press release issued by the department of personnel and training (DoPT).

Khanna has led many counter-terrorism operations in the external spy agency and is reportedly an expert on Pakistan and Islamic terrorism.

Incidentally, Khanna superseded Arvind Saxena, who was the seniormost officer in the dedicated RAW cadre, after Joshi. A simultaneous appointment order was issued on Saturday naming Saxena as director and ex-officio special secretary, Aviation Research Centre (ARC), until his retirement on August 31, 2015. Sources told TOI that Saxena will report directly to national security adviser Ajit Doval.

Prakash Mishra, who was named as DG, CRPF, will hold charge of the force until February 29, 2016. The CRPF has been without a full-time chief after Dilip Trivedi retired on November 30. Mishra was earlier in the race for CBI chief, but lost out to Anil Sinha.

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