Senior IPS officer from Telangana selected for 2018 IACP award

Senior IPS officer from Telangana Mahesh Muralidhar Bhagwat has been selected as the 2018 IACP 'Leadership in Human and Civil Rights' individual award winner. Mahesh M Bhagwat is the Rachakonda Police Commissioner here. "You (Bhagwat) are part of an elite group of leaders in the field of Human and Civil Rights," International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) President Louis M Dekmar said in a letter to Bhagwat.

The award is in recognition of Bhagwat's efforts in starting worksite schools for migrant children of Odisha, rescued from brick kilns with the help of different associations. "This award ceremony is scheduled in Orlando, U.S.A today. I am not able to go due to the Election code of conduct and busy work schedule," Bhagwat said, adding that the IACP Awards committee has promised to send the award by post.

He said U.S President Donald Trump Monday addressed police chief from 100 plus countries attending the IACP conference. The Rachakonda Police Commissionerate has opened worksite schools near here this year, wherein brick-makers in some Telangana districts, who once employed children at their kilns have joined hands with police and NGOs to not only end child labour but also put those kids back in school.

As many as 889 children got an education in Oriya language here, Bhagwat added. In September last year, Bhagwat was presented with the '2017 Hero Acting to End Modern Slavery Award' by the United States Department of state for his fight against human trafficking in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)