NEW DELHI — Three IPS officers from Tamil Nadu were selected for the Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Investigation 2026, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced on October 31, 2026, marking Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
P. Aravindhan, Additional Director at the Narcotics Control Bureau, received the award for his work in busting drug cartels operating on the darknet. Madhu Kumari, Superintendent of Police and Commandant of the TSP-VI Battalion in Madurai, and V. Satish Kumar, Superintendent of Police in Tiruvarur district, were also selected for the honor.
The medal recognizes police officers and forensic scientists across India for professionalism and exceptional contributions to investigation. A total of 490 personnel from Central Armed Police Forces, central investigation agencies, Union Territories and State Police Forces were selected for the Kendriya Grihamantri Dakshata Padak 2026.
In the investigation category, the Central Board of Direct Taxes' CBIC walked away with 56 medals, the CBI with 15, and the NIA and NCB with five medals each. Among state police honoured for excellence in investigation were those of Maharashtra, NCT of Delhi, West Bengal, UP, Rajasthan, Bihar, Gujarat and Karnataka. In the forensic field, CFSL, Chandigarh was honoured with three medals, while police in Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Tamil Nadu received a medal each.
The recipients were announced on the same day that commemorates Patel's birth anniversary, observed annually as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas.
